The Third Time is the Charm
by Secret Nom de Plume
Summary: Will Draco ever be the man that Hermione deserves?
1. How This Came To Be

Disclaimer: Ms. Rowling owns her characters and has graciously lent them to me for the duration of this story. Random other characters (in later chapters) are my creations.

Setting/Background Information: These events begin in the middle of sixth year for Hermione and Draco. Assume that everything that happened in the first five books occurred. However, events after that are non canon compliant. The story follows Hermione and Draco through their last school years, through the war, and post Hogwarts for about 3 years. There is also an epilogue.

Chapter 1 How This Came to Be

As Hermione stood outside the doors of the Great Hall, listening to the muted sounds of the dance going on inside. She wondered how her friends were going to react to the news that she was going to share tonight. She had been secretly dating Draco Malfoy since the Christmas Holidays. This Valentine's Day Dance was going to be their debut as a couple.

Hermione thought back to how it had all started. Since Draco and she were both sixth year prefects, it was inevitable that they would be scheduled to patrol together a few times during the term. However, Dumbledore had mandated that the Head Boy and Girl try to promote inter-house unity. They took this to mean that the prefects should be permanently partnered with someone not in their own house. Hermione and Draco were placed together.

No amounts of complaining and whining on his part or quiet entreaties from her would persuade the Heads to change their decision. So the two adversaries were forced to patrol together two or three times a week. For the first two months of school, Draco and Hermione had spent their patrols either trading insults or coldly ignoring each other. The day after Halloween things had changed.

_Their patrol was almost over, and Draco and Hermione were heading back towards the first floor where their ways would part for the night. They had rousted a few students, who were breaking curfew and sent them back to their dorms. Other than that, last few hours had been uneventful. Earlier, when they had met up outside the Great Hall, Draco had surprised her with his civil nod and lack of insults. They had proceeded to walk the halls without exchanging any words, though Hermione was becoming more discomfited as time passed, by the speculative looks that Draco kept casting her way._

_He's staring at me again, Hermione thought. Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. "Why do you keep staring at me, Malfoy?" she demanded._

_He shrugged one of his shoulders nonchalantly. "I'm just looking," he replied. Hermione waited for the cutting remark that she knew would be coming next. However, she was shocked when he continued in an odd strained tone, "You looked pretty at the Halloween Dance last night."_

_Now, her mouth dropped open, and a blush heated her cheeks. That was the last thing she expected to hear from Draco Malfoy. "What are you playing at, Malfoy?" she said suspiciously._

"_Merlin, Granger, I was just making a comment," he said more casually with a slight smirk at her reaction. "No need to get all excited about it."_

"_You don't make NICE comments to me," she told him._

"_Well, maybe since we're stuck together for the rest of the year, it would make patrols easier," he answered thrusting out his right hand. "Can we call a truce?"_

"_What's the catch?" the brown eyed girl inquired in a disbelieving tone, regarding his hand like it was a snake._

"_Look. This is just between you and me during our rounds, as I don't fancy being screamed at or being bored silly by your silence for hours every patrol," he declared. "Outside of this nothing changes."_

_Now that Hermione finally understood what was motivating the Slytherin boy, she felt more at ease. He was just looking out for his own comfort. "I'll agree," she replied, "but you have to stop insulting me during the rest of time. If you call me a mudblood again, all deals are off!"_

"_I can't stop completely. I do have a reputation to maintain, you know, but I'll let up on you a bit," he conceded, "and I won't call you a mudblood." He looked at her a bit peevishly. "Deal?"_

_There's the Malfoy we all know and hate, she thought. Aloud she said, "All right. Deal." She took his hand and shook it firmly._

_Surprisingly, their agreement worked well and patrols became easier, almost downright pleasant, as the weeks passed. When he wasn't acting like a pompous git, Hermione found Draco an interesting companion. He had a sharp brain and wicked wit, which she found she liked now that it wasn't aimed at her. Their initial conversations had centered around assignments and gradually progressed to more personal matters. They purposefully avoided any talk of their house rivalry or their affiliations in the coming war. As the Christmas holidays approached, they were quite comfortable with each other. The rest of the school would have been amazed, if they had known._

_Outside of patrol times, things didn't appear too different. True to his word, Draco didn't call her a mudblood. He still insulted her in public, but his barbs were more general, and not personally wounding. No one appeared to notice the difference though, because he seemed to have stepped up his verbal attacks on anyone who was with her when their paths crossed. Numerous times, he almost came to hexes or blows with Harry and Ron. After one of these times, Hermione chided him for it when she saw him for patrol that night._

"_Look," he told her, "Potty and Weaslebee get on my nerves. I'm nice to you. Take what you get."_

"_You're not nice to me. You called me a 'know-it-all Gryffindork' in Potions today," she reminded him swatting at his chest._

"_You are a know-it-all Gryffindork, Hermione," he replied smiling at her and grabbing her hands. She looked at him in shock as that was the first time that he had ever called her by her first name. He was also still holding both of her hands. Before she could even think of how to respond to him, his mouth had crashed down upon hers in a demanding kiss. Even more startling to her was that she liked it and kissed him back. That night was the turning point in their relationship._

_Hermione ended up staying at the castle for the duration of the holiday break. Harry had gone to the Burrow with the Weasley siblings, but she had declined the invitation saying that she had special projects she was working on at school. Her parents had been offered places on a trip to a third world country with Smiles for All, the dental offshoot of Doctors without Borders. She knew they had always wanted to be more than just financial backers of that organization, so she didn't complain that she couldn't return home._

_Most importantly, Draco was going to be at Hogwarts since his parents were off to places unknown. The two sixth years were actually the only students from Slytherin and Gryffindor houses remaining at school. There were four Hufflepuffs and three Ravenclaws also staying, but they were all below fourth year. As the only upperclassmen, Draco and Hermione were pretty much left to their own devices._

_Without the interference of anyone who might object, Hermione was able to explore the new direction that this relationship was taking. She spent each day with Draco getting to know him and talking about everything. Their romance blossomed. They took walks, went shopping in Hogsmeade, and spent their time getting closer physically, though they hadn't moved the relationship to the next level yet. Hermione found herself happier than she had ever been. She did worry about what the other Gryffindor reactions would be, but knew that Draco was the right person for her. He seemed tailor made for her. He always knew the right thing to say and do. He was romantic, sweet, and everything that a sixteen year old girl could want in a boyfriend. The spoiled, condescending boy that she had known since she was eleven seemed to have disappeared._

_Christmas morning dawned and Hermione found a pile of presents at the foot of her bed. She had already sent her gifts out via owl the day before. She still had her parents gifts, but they had told her to save them for when she saw them next. They had sent her some clothes, muggle books, and a fantastic pair of boots that she had seen on her last trip to London. Harry had given her a clever collapsible cauldron. Ron had sent her an assortment of candy from Honeydukes with a funny note saying that he was sure her parents wouldn't get her any because they were "denters". She received the usual "Weasley sweater" from Molly and Aurthur along with some lovely homemade cookies. Ginny and she hadn't exchanged gifts, saying they were going to treat themselves to a special Girls' Day Out together in Hogsmeade after the New Year. Her roommates, Lavender and Parvati, had sent her a subscription to Teen Witch Weekly, and a book of make-up spells. She rolled her eyes, knowing when they returned that they would get more use out of the gifts than she would, since she didn't typically go for that kind of thing._

_The last present was a small silver box tied with a green bow. She smiled looking at the Slytherin colors, knowing it was from her boyfriend. When she opened it, she found a bracelet with three small charms on it: a griffin, a dragon, and a heart. The parchment that accompanied it was simple._

_Hermione,_

_This is how it's supposed to be._

_D_

Back in the present, Hermione looked at the bracelet on her wrist. She played with the charms as she started worrying about her friends' reactions again._Thank God for Ginny, _she thought. Only Ginny knew about the older witch's relationship with Draco, since she had accidentally come across them kissing in the back of the library a few weeks ago. The fifth year had been helping the two ever since, by covering for Hermione when people wondered where she was. The clandestine romance touched her romantic heart and she didn't blame Hermione one little bit. During the past summer, Ron and Hermione had tried and failed at going out. While it was technically a mutual break-up, their friendship had been strained ever since. Ginny thought her brother was stupid and had been genuinely happy that her best girlfriend had found someone new, even if it had to be Draco Malfoy.

Hermione had continued to see Draco in secret once the new term started and the rest of the students returned. She looked forward to their rounds and met up with him whenever she had a free moment. This was a year of heavy responsibility for her. She took more classes than anyone, yet she still managed to handle her prefect duties, run study groups for her friends, tutor the younger years referred to her by the professors, and knit hats for house elves (though none, except Dobby, would dream of accepting one.)

Her house mates watched her rushing from activity to activity and shook their heads in amusement thinking: _There she goes again_. They didn't really mind, though, because she had proven in the past that she would _always_ make time for anyone who really needed her. She walked around happily, even singing to herself on occasion. Everyone thought her new found joy was just part of "being Hermione".

The sixteen year old looked at the blond boy standing next to her. He stood tall and handsome in his elegant black dress robes. _Merlin, he looks good_, she thought. Then she blushed as she thought of the night before. She had finally felt ready to become intimate with Draco and he had readily complied. It had been an amazing experience for her contrary to what books said about the first time. Draco had guided her through her first sexual experience with a particular sweetness. His excitement and lust she had been prepared for, but his gentleness and care were unexpected gifts.

Last night was also the first time that they had declared their love for each other aloud. She knew it was the right time to share her happiness with the world. Draco looked at her with his piercing silver eyes for a long moment. She saw a hint of trepidation and something else that she couldn't quite decipher pass through his eyes. She smiled at him, but his face remained serious.

"Ready?" he asked. When she nodded, he leaned down and gave her a long slow kiss. Then he grabbed her hand and took a deep breath. "Let's go," he said opening the door and pulling her into the Great Hall.


	2. The Dance

Chapter 2 The Dance

_Last Chapter: Draco looked at her with his piercing silver eyes for a long moment. She saw a hint of trepidation and something else that she couldn't quite decipher pass through his eyes. She smiled at him, but his face remained serious. "Ready?" he asked. When she nodded, he grabbed her hand and took a deep breath. "Let's go," he said opening the door and pulling her into the Great Hall._

Holding tightly to Draco's hand, Hermione allowed him to lead her into the Great Hall and towards a table where some of the Slytherin sixth and seventh years sat. Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, who were relaxing with their own dates, eyed the two with curious smirks on their faces. Hermione wasn't sure that she liked the way that the boys were giving her the once over. The dance was already in full swing, so many students had not yet taken note of the couple's late entrance. Hermione glanced nervously around the room, then turned to Draco. He gave her a long look, then smirked and squeezed her hand.

"Listen you lot, Granger and I have something to tell you," he declared. At this point, various others around the hall noticed the unlikely pair and were whispering and pointing at the two. The music had switched to a slower song, and as the dance floor cleared somewhat, his words seemed to reach many ears at once. Draco ignored the rest of the hall, his gaze remaining on his friends with a strange triumphant look on his face.

Over at the Griffindor table, Ginny smiled in anticipation of her friend finally being able to tell the school about her secret relationship. She knew how much the older witch hated not being honest about everything. When Harry tried to stand up, she placed a restraining hand upon his arm causing him to look at her in confusion. "Wait," she whispered, "it'll be all right." She checked to see Ron's location, sighing in relief when she noted that he was at the snack table with his back to them, oblivious to the drama about to unfold.

Draco announced to the Slytherin table, "Granger and I have been together." Gasps were heard from those closest to them, and hurried whispers passed the news to those not quite close enough to hear the words themselves.

Pansy Parkinson screeched, "What?" and began to sob noisily. Blaise rolled his eyes and told her to shut the hell up.

Nott crossed his arms over his chest and drawled, "Really, and what exactly does that mean?" He raised one eyebrow and looked inquiringly at Draco and Hermione.

"You tell him, sweetheart," Draco encouraged the brown haired witch next to him. She looked at him and thought she saw a quick look of regret pass behind his eyes before he turned back to face the other Slytherins.

Thinking that he was losing his nerve in the face of his friends' disapproval, Hermione faced Nott, and said clearly, "I love Draco and he loves me. We've been seeing each other since the holidays."

Exclamations of shock ran through the students. Most of the dancers closest to them had even come to a halt though the music played on. Nott grinned suddenly and aimed his next comment at Draco, though his eyes remained glued to Hermione's face. His words caused Hermione's heart to stutter in confusion.

"Well, mate," he said in a voice pitched to be heard across the hall. "It looks like I lose the bet. You _were_ able get into the mudblood's pants after all. Looks like I owe you ten Galleons!"

Hermione's eyes widened in shock and her head whipped around to face the boy she loved. She searched his face for some sort of reassurance, but Draco just stared at her expressionlessly as he dropped her hand. He stepped away from her, purposefully putting some distance between them, before turning his gaze back to Nott instead.

"Yeah, it only took a few pretty words to get her right where I said I would. She's actually not a bad lay, for a _mudblood_," he replied in the condescendingly amused tone that Hermione hadn't heard directed at her in such a long time. She blanched and took a step backwards as though he had hit her. _He didn't just say that, _she thought.

"Oh shit," murmured Ginny when she saw Hermione sway. "Go help her." She pushed at Harry and he jumped to his feet. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her friend. Draco had seemed so genuine to her. The two Gryffindors quickly made their way across the hall in time to hear the rest of the conversation.

"Why are you saying this, Draco?" Hermione reached a hand towards his face, but quickly pulled it back when he jerked away from it. She wrapped her arms around tightly herself instead. "You're lying," she accused him unsteadily.

"Not right now, but I was since Halloween," he said to her horrified face. "Well what did you expect, Granger. I'm a Malfoy and a Slytherin. I only half lied. I truly did love hearing you scream my name as we fucked. But love? Did you think I'd really have feelings for someone so far beneath me? _This_ is how it's supposed to be," He answered her coldly his face a cruel mask. Gone was the attentive boy that she thought she had known. Though if anyone had looked closely, they might have noticed his hands shaking slightly. Zambini and Nott laughed appreciatively, while their girlfriends tittered.

Hermione's mind was reeling_. He doesn't love me. He was pretending. What do I do? _Hermione could feel her heart shattering within her chest, as these thoughts raced through her brain. _Oh God, I still love him!_ For an instant her face was ravaged by such an intense expression of pain, that it was almost unbearable to look at her. Draco turned his eyes away, not saying anything else. She was considering running from the room, when she felt a steadying hand on her shoulder. Recognizing her best friend's touch, she closed her eyes and took a deep calming breath. Opening her eyes, she saw Harry standing behind her with Ginny at his side. Their presence and obvious show of support gave her the courage to do what she did next.

Hermione straightened up, dropping her arms to her sides and then _CRACK!_ Her slap caught Draco hard, a red hand shaped mark appearing on his pale cheek almost instantly. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and her face was filled with emotion as she looked directly at Draco.

"I guess I'm not so smart, since I believed all of your lies. I also believed in _you_, but I was wrong about that too. You must be the best actor in the world. I thought you didn't have it in you to ever be a Deatheater, but you've already made a good start. This what Voldemort's followers do." Those within hearing range, except for Harry and Ginny, flinched at the name. Hermione ignored them all and continued, "_They_ don't care about happiness," her voice broke slightly, "... and love. They try to destroy anyone they think is beneath them because they can. Just. Like. _You_."

Draco looked at her in shock as her words began to sink in. He opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off, "I may be a fool, but at least I never lied to you. I never wanted you for your name or your money. I would have stood by you through everything, but it doesn't mean a damn to you. I don't even know you. The boy I love never even really existed." She gave a bitter, almost hysterical laugh before finishing resolutely, "But you haven't destroyed me. I'm still a Gryffindor and I won't let you!" With that parting statement, Hermione turned around and walked away from the boy that she had given her heart to.


	3. Gryffindor Loyalty and Courage

Chapter 3 Gryffindor Loyalty and Courage

_Last Chapter: "_But you haven't destroyed me. I'm still a Gryffindor and I won't let you!_!" With that parting statement, Hermione turned around and walked away from they boy she had given her heart to._

Tears had pooled in her eyes almost blinding her, but Hermione refused to let them fall. _Don't let me cry in front of him, _she thought. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, but she couldn't focus on anyone, lest she lose her battle against the tears. Behind her she heard Ginny scream, "You arsehole!"

Suddenly she felt an arm go about her shoulder, and Harry voice asked, "Do you want to go?" At her quick headshake, he gently said, "Then let's dance, Mione." On her other side, she felt Ginny snake an arm around her waist, give a quick squeeze and move fluidly past her towards the Gryffindor table. Harry lead her onto the dance floor, where a slow song was still playing. He pulled her into his arms and let her rest her forehead against his chest, hiding her face. A few of the tears, that she'd been holding back splashed onto his dress robes.

"You know you can tell me anything, Mione," he said quietly. "I'm always on your side, but I need to know what's going on."

"I'm sorry, Harry. It's all so messed up." she whispered into his chest. "I'll tell you everything, but not right now. I just don't want _him_ to see me cry tonight. I won't give any of them the satisfaction."

"Oh, there's no chance for that," he replied with an odd note in his voice. "It's safe to look up now."

Hermione surreptitiously wiped her eyes on the back of her hand before raising her head cautiously. What she saw made her eyes widen and the ache in her heart subside just a little bit. Harry had maneuvered the two of them to a spot on the dance floor furthest away from where Draco and his cronies were. Ginny must have put out a distress call, because surrounding Harry and her were almost all of the Gryffindor fifth through seventh years. Looking at a number of odd pairings, Hermione deduced that they must have just rushed onto the floor to form a protective barrier around her, grabbing whomever was nearest as a dance partner. They effectively shielded Hermione from the malicious eyes of the Slytherins. Sprinkled in amongst the sea of Gryffindor faces were a few Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, such as Luna, Padma, and Terry Boot, who had particular friendships with those in the gold and red house.

Hermione had never loved her fellow Gryffindors more than at this moment. She saw many of her housemates looking at her with sympathy and worry. She didn't see any sign of the condemnation that she had feared would be her lot, when her house found out about her affair with Draco. They still had plenty of questions for her, but were ready to show unwavering solidarity in the face of Slytherin maliciousness. She should have trusted her friends more. She glanced around and saw Fred dancing with his girlfriend, Angelina, not too far away. For once he was missing the smile that usually graced his face. When he saw Hermione looking at him, his lips quirked into a small grin and he mouthed, "We'll kick his ferrety arse." The usually peaceful Angelina, nodded her agreement with narrowed eyes. When Hermione couldn't find Ron or Ginny anywhere, she asked Harry about them in a worried voice.

"You didn't see, but when Ron got wind of what was being said, he was about to explode. Luckily, Ginny saw and she and George got him out of the Hall. They'll let him back when he's in control," Harry explained. Hermione nodded knowing Ron's temper would have made things even much more unbearable.

When the song ended, Hermione expected Harry to lead her back to one of the tables. Instead, Neville came up to her and asked her to dance with him. He was a bit clumsy moving to the beat of the fast song, so she was forced to pay attention to his movements if she didn't want her feet squashed. He seemed a bit over-enthused, but it kept her mind from dwelling on Draco. She studiously kept her back turned away from that end of the room. After Neville's dance, a slew of Gryffindor boys each requested that she be his partner in turn. Though she knew the smile that she forced onto her face must have looked strained and that she definitely wasn't good company, they all went to great pains to lift her spirits and try to get her to laugh.

Hermione noticed Parvati on the edge of the dance floor whispering to her boyfriend, Terry. When the next song started, he walked over to Hermione and led her onto the floor. She looked over at Parvati questioningly, but she just smiled sweetly and nodded. Terry was friendly, if a little awkward, and seemed relieved when he could return to Parvati. Hermione understood then that this was another way that her housemates were showing their support. At least she wouldn't be a wallflower tonight. Though she still hadn't looked at him, she could almost feel Draco's eyes on her. _Oh God, let me last a little longer, just a little longer._

Her thoughts kept returning to the silver eyed boy across the room. _He had been so sweet last night_, she thought, _Ten Galleons is what it meant, what I'm worth to him_. It was so hard, but she tried not show how devastated she felt. As the evening progressed, Hermione acted the part of the belle of the ball. She smiled. She danced. She even managed a laugh or two. She didn't dare look, but she hoped _he_ was watching her with all the other boys. _Like he even cares_, she mocked herself in her mind. She tried to pretend that his side of the room didn't exist but though she couldn't see him, she_ felt_ him. For their part, none of the Slytherins could approach her to get in a jibe. Though the wall of Gryffindors had disbanded, she noticed that there were always at least four other pairs of friends hovering near her on the dance floor at any given time.

As a new slow song started, Hermione turned at a soft touch on her arm to see that Ron had finally returned. He still looked angry but surprisingly it wasn't directed at her, if the gentleness of his touch was any indication. He took her in his arms and awkwardly began to sway with her as dancing had never been his forte. They danced in silence, until she gained the courage to ask him, "Are you really angry at me?" She had been particularly worried about how he would react to her association with Draco. _Wait_, she thought hysterically, _there is no more Draco and me_.

"No...yes...I don't know, Mione," he sighed in frustration. " But Malfoy? God damn it! Why the hell would you have anything to do with him! I know things haven't been right between us since what happened last summer, but did you have to get tangled up with him?"

At his words, Hermione's eyes started to well up with tears once again as she shook her head. Uncharacteristically, Ron actually noticed her rising distress and backed down. He gave her a squeeze saying, "Sorry, don't cry, sorry! I promised Harry that I wouldn't ask you any questions tonight. Actually, he told me not to be a git to you if I came out here." This caused her to smile a little bit. The redhead continued, "I can hold my temper tonight, but we're going to have a serious talk tomorrow."

"Who are you and what have you done with Ron?" Hermione joked weakly, amazed at the change in him.

"Oh, the hot tempered bloke you all know and love is still in here, but I'm wouldn't kick you when you're down. In spite of everything I'll always be your friend, Mione. I've missed you." Hermione was glad to hear that as she had also missed him and their friendship.

However, being Ron, he did have to ruin the moment by muttering darkly, "Though I wouldn't mind hexing that slimy ferret git right now." As he felt the witch in his arms stiffen with tension, he sighed again, "Don't worry, I also swore to Harry that I wouldn't do anything _tonight. _Besides, Ginny threatened to kick _my_ arse, if I made you any more upset. She may be younger than me, but she can be right scary!"

Hermione gave him first genuine smile of the night and Ron guide her back to Harry and Ginny. After a bit, she decided that she had proven her point to Draco and the Slytherins. She had stayed long enough to show them her Gryffindor courage. They couldn't make for run away. _He_ couldn't break her. She was so tired of holding all her emotions in check, and just wanted the solace of her bed. When she told her friends that she was done, they agreed to leave too. A small contingent of other students from their house decided to leave at the same time. Hermione suspected that their protective instincts were all fired up. Normally, she was the strong witch who usually took care of everyone else. Tonight, however, they had seen her take some heavy emotional hits from one of their hated enemies. Their loyalty to her had given her the strength to get through the rest of the evening.

Pausing before leaving the Great Hall with her friends, she looked, for the first time since the beginning of the dance, at the Slytherin end of the room. She easily picked out Draco's platinum colored head on the dance floor. He had his arms around Pansy Parkinson while she snuggled up against him with her cheek resting against his shoulder. Hermione's insides clenched as she brought her gaze up to his face. He was staring straight at her, his silver eyes cold and hard. He glanced at Ron's arm around her shoulder and some emotion she didn't understand crossed his face. He glared with hatred at the redhead, then turned that same look on her before reaching with one hand to deliberately cup the Slytherin girl's cheek. The last thing Hermione saw before Ron pulled her through the doorway was Draco's lips leaning in towards Pansy's eager ones. She would never let him know it, but that action did what his words couldn't: it destroyed her.


	4. Coming Clean

Chapter 4 Coming Clean

_Last Chapter: He glanced at Ron's arm around her shoulder and some strong emotion she couldn't read crossed his face. He glared at the redhead, then turned that same look on her, before reaching up with one hand to deliberately cup the Slytherin girl's cheek. The last thing Hermione saw before Ron pulled her through the door was Draco's lips leaning in towards Pansy's eager ones. She would never let him know it, but that action did what his words couldn't: it destroyed her._

The next morning, Hermione woke up with swollen red eyes and feeling like she'd been put through the wringer. Remembering the events of the night before made her want to burrow back under the covers and never come out. Knowing that she had to face the world eventually, she sighed and pulled herself out of bed. _Thank God it's Saturday_, she thought. She made her way to the girls' bathroom feeling as though she was ninety-six instead of sixteen.

Beneath the pounding spray of hot water, Hermione tried to blank her mind but her thoughts kept swirling back to _him_, especially to what had happened two nights ago.

_They were lying naked on a blanket that Draco had transfigured from his school robe in an empty classroom on the fifth floor. Hermione was laying on her side snuggled against his left flank, with her head resting upon his chest. One of his hands was behind his head and his other one was absently tracing patterns on the arm that she was resting across his flat stomach. Their hearts were still beating faster than usual from their recent lovemaking. _

_It had been passionate and sweet the same time. Draco lived up to his reputation as a sex god. He knew all the places and just how to touch them, to make Hermione writhe with pleasure. They had played before, but their explorations had never been this intense. They had never gone as far as this. He had used hands, lips, tongue and even teeth to bring her to the edge numerous times before backing off just when she was about to fall over. When he was finally ready to enter her for the first time, she had been so aroused that she had practically begged him to take her. Rising above her, he had looked into her eyes as he thrust through her maidenhead. Her need was so great, that even the sharp burning pain couldn't erase her passion. After a moment to allow her to get used to the intrusion, Draco had begun to move. At first it was slow and steady to allow her body to adjust to his size. Gradually, though, the speed of his thrusts had increased as she began to move with him feeling the pleasure coursing through her again. Near the end, he was giving it to her hard and fast and she had found herself matching his every move. When he felt her begin to tighten around him, he had broken his rhythm and made one final thrust as hard as he could into her core. She had screamed his name while he let out a loud groan of release, and they had come to completion together._

_While their breathing quieted and their bodies cooled, Hermione reveled in the feeling of joy that she felt while being with this boy. The soreness between her legs was a constant reminded of what they had just shared. They were now one. She turned her head letting her lips press a soft kiss onto the skin at the base of his throat. _

"_I love you, Draco," she whispered into his neck. She heard his breath catch in his throat, and his body had tensed. She thought maybe that she shouldn't have told him, that he didn't want to hear it. However, he had taken a deep breath and relaxed. She knew it would be all right when his lips touched the top of her head in a soft kiss._

"_I know, Hermione," he had replied his breath warm against her scalp. "Let's tell everyone about us at the dance tomorrow. We won't have to hide anymore." He didn't say the words back, but she knew that he did love her. Otherwise, he would never have wanted anyone to know about them._

The shower was getting cold when Hermione brought herself out of her reverie. She knew that the water on her face wasn't just from the shower head. _Now I know why he didn't say it,_ she thought bitterly.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When she returned from the bathroom, there was a muffin and a glass of pumpkin juice waiting on her bedside table with a note next to it.

_Hermione, _

_You missed breakfast, so we brought this back for you. We'll be down in the common room when you're ready. _

_~Harry _

Hermione dressed quickly and looked about her dormitory trying to waste time. She couldn't bear the thought of eating, so she left the muffin in it's spot. She drank her glass of pumpkin juice and even rinsed her glass. _Quit stalling_, she told herself. With no other excuses, she made her way down the stairs to face her friends.

The common room was sparsely populated for a Saturday morning. Harry, Neville, and Dean were clustered around a wizarding chess game being played by Ron and Seamus. Lavender, was sitting on the couch using her wand to magic different hair styles onto Parvati, who was sitting on the floor in front of her looking into a hand mirror. Strangely, there was not one student from any other year except for Ginny who was seated in a chair reading a book. At Hermione's entrance, she jumped up and and ran to give her a hug.

"I'm sorry I didn't see it coming," the red head whispered sorrowfully. "He seemed to be genuine."

"It's okay, Gin. If I believed him, why shouldn't you have. Thank you for helping me through everything," Hermione said for her ears only. "Hi everyone," she addressed the others then looked at the floor, not knowing what else to say.

"Come here, Hermione," Lavender told the unsure girl. She moved over on the couch and patted the spot beside her. When the Hermione sat, Ginny plopped down beside her and Parvati turned on the floor to face the three girls. Though Hermione didn't appear to have a lot in common with Lavender and Parvati on the surface, the girls were actually rather close. Three people can't live in such close quarters for six and a half years without developing some kind of friendship. They had stuck together in sheer defense against the larger group of males in their year. Through some quirk of the Sorting Hat, they were the _only_ female Gryffindors of their year.

"Okay, Hermione, spill," Parvati said to her dorm mate. "The rest of the House has orders not to come back for at least another hour, so we have the place to ourselves."

"Before I tell you, I wanted to say thanks for last night,"Hermione said. "I couldn't have gotten through it without you." She made sure to look at each one of her year mates. The boys had stopped their game and moved to take seats around the girls to get in on the conversation. Since they were such a small group and shared all of their classes, the eight of them had bonded really well over the years.

"That's okay, luv," Seamus said with his slight brogue. "You were doing fine on your own. Did you really call Malfoy a Deatheater?"

"Damn right she did, mate," added in Harry. "She told that bastard off good! But we still want to know what really went on, Mione." He looked at her seriously. "There were all kinds of stories going around at breakfast." When he hesitated, she motioned him to continue. "Best or worse?" he asked.

"Might as well hear both," she replied wryly, knowing the Hogwarts rumor mill would mangle anything.

"The worst rumor is that you've been doing Malfoy and all the boys in Slytherin sixth and seventh years for a while now. They make you sound like you're their personal whore," Harry said apologetically with a red face. "Best rumor is that Malfoy somehow tricked you into saying that you loved him and the rest are all lies."

"Well, I'll tell you how it got to this point. I guess the truth is somewhere in the middle," Hermione began. She described the patrols in the beginning of the year and how Draco offered the truce between the two of them after the Halloween Dance. It was her turn to look apologetic as she explained how he had promised to stop making fun of her, though not her friends. They just nodded. She told them about the first time Draco kissed her and how he had made her feel. When she got to the part about the Christmas break, she began to tear up realizing that it was all an act on Draco's part. The girls comforted her, and prompted her to continue. She told about their secret meetings since the new term. She told them that she thought that she loved him.

Her friends just nodded sadly at her. Though Hermione was indisputably the smartest witch when it came to books and spells, every one of her year mates knew that when it came to romance she was the novice. Even Neville had more experience than her; he'd been dating the same shy little fifth year since the summer.

The only thing Hermione omitted from her tale was what had happened on the night before the dance. She finished by telling them what Nott had said at the dance and what Draco's reply had been. "I guess it was just a game to him," she ended forlornly.

Dean looked at her sadly, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I heard Nott was saying at breakfast that he had made the bet at the Halloween Dance." _He planned this from the beginning,_ she thought. _I can't believe it!_

"Hermione," Parvati said. "Malfoy has been telling everyone what a slut you are and how you've been sleeping with him. We can make him shut up or get him in trouble for spreading lies about you." Hermione just looked down and shook her head.

"He is lying, right Mione?" Ron broke in angrily. "Tell me you weren't shagging him since the holidays."

"No. It only happened once." The other girls felt horrible for her, knowing that she had lost her virginity under such horrible circumstances. The boys looked upset and embarrassed at the same time.

"When?" Ron gritted out.

Hermione closed her eyes and whispered, "The night before the dance."

The rest of the Gryffindors became even angrier, as they realized how much effort must have gone into planning Hermione's humiliation.

"Don't worry, Mione," Harry said going over to her and giving her a hug. "We still love you and we'll help you. You just let us know what you want us to do."


	5. Invisible

Chapter 5 Invisible

Last Chapter: _The rest of the Gryffindors became even angrier, as they realized how much effort must have gone into planning Hermione's humiliation. "Don't worry, Mione," Harry said. "We still love you and we'll help you. You just let us know what you want us to do."_

Hermione had spent the rest of the weekend within Gryffindor tower, thinking things over. Her friends were great, just bringing her meals and leaving her alone. They let her know they were there for her, but understood her need to figure things out by herself. Her mind went into overdrive making plans and rejecting them. She just couldn't find a way out of the coil she found herself in. She knew she should hate Draco, but she still loved him. She didn't know how she was going to survive seeing him look at her the way he used to before Halloween.

_I hate feeling like this... If only he loved me back, _she thought_. Don't go there...don't think about it. _She didn't want to feel depressed and stupid. She just wanted it all to go away and for things to be back they way they were before she had ever known Draco Malfoy. Maybe that was _exactly_ the solution she was looking for. _He won't exist for me anymore_, she thought, _maybe I can forget about loving him. _It wasn't necessarily a logical conclusion, but Hermione decided any action was better than none. She was going to act like nothing had happened and that Draco didn't mean _anything_ to her. She didn't think it could get any worse than it already was.

Her year mates had talked to the rest of the Gryffindors. They didn't go into details, but let it be known that Malfoy had tricked her into a relationship to win a bet. Everyone was outraged on her behalf, even if they thought she had been too gullible. Hermione was particularly glad that the Weasley Twins were back in school. After last year's debacle with Umbridge, their mother had made them return to redo seventh year. Plans for the joke shop were put on hold, since none of her children could withstand Molly Weasley's demands. Hermione liked having big brothers; in spite of the pranks, she was lucky to have them in her corner. They weren't really disappointed in her and let her know it. After all, they knew she had more expertise with books than boys, and Hermione Granger was known as the girl who believed there was good in _everyone. _

Breakfast on Monday morning, was Hermione's first foray back into the public halls of Hogwarts. She walked into the Great Hall flanked by Ginny and Ron. Harry walked slightly in front of them talking to Neville. A quick glance at the Slytherin table showed her a certain platinum blond with Pansy clinging possessively to his arm. _Time to put on a happy face,_ she thought even though her heart plummeted at the sight. She smiled brightly at Ginny and Ron then asked them what they thought the most important quidditch position was. They looked at her in a weird way, but agreeably started a friendly argument about keepers and chasers.

At the Gryffindor table, she deliberately chose a seat that faced the Slytherins. She was aware of the malicious stares aimed at her and the not so quiet comments about her at the other house table. However, if they were expecting to see a weepy or cowed Hermione, they were sadly mistaken. Whatever her true feelings, the Gryffindor girl looked perfectly normal on the outside. She was eating her meal and acting as referee to the quidditch debate that had spread to Harry, Seamus, and the Weasley twins. She was smiling and acting as if it was the most fascinating discussion she'd ever heard. Her eyes occasionally roamed the other table, but her gaze always slid past Draco without stopping. When the meal ended, Hermione picked up her bag, and followed the others towards the hallway.

_That wasn't so bad,_ she thought, _Maybe I can do this_.

"So Granger, Draco here says you're quite the screamer in the sack. How about you let me give you something to scream about?" Blaise Zabini's voice said into her ear. She had been so busy with her thoughts, that she hadn't heard him come up behind her. His comment brought a round of laughter from the Slytherin boys, including Draco.

Hermione whirled to face the dark haired boy, ignoring the others. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Zabini. You're disgusting!" she said scathingly. She put a haughty expression on her face.

Blaise's eyes narrowed. He grabbed hold of her upper arm in a tight grip and shook her slightly. "I think you do, Granger. Who are you to call me disgusting? You slag! You should be happy someone like me would even look at you."

"Let her go, Zabini," yelled Harry upon seeing the Slytherin touching Hermione. He and Ron had turned around when she hadn't followed them out through the doorway of the Great Hall. She just shook her head at him, telling him she'd handle it. Ron continued to step forward, but Harry held onto him, trusting Hermione. They were close enough to step in if necessary and he knew _she_ needed to do this.

"Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me. Zabini," Hermione said in a low clear voice, "or you'll regret it."

"What are you gonna do about it, whore?" he sneered.

"Look down, asshole," she retorted jabbing her wand for emphasis. His face grayed and his eyes widened when he felt her wand poking his left thigh. "If I'm a _whore _as you so kindly put it, then I'll know exactly where to aim to hex your balls off."

Slowly the shocked Slytherin let her go and backed away from her. His body had blocked the view of her wand from the staff table, and Hermione quickly shifted so it wasn't visible to the remaining teachers. The Slytherins, who had been curious as to why he let her go, could finally see it and what she still had it pointed at. It was almost comical to see the looks of disbelief on their faces.

"Don't ever touch me again. I'm not about to take any shit from s_omeone like you,_" she said coldly.

They looked at her open mouthed, never expecting the Gryffindor goody-goody to talk or act like that. Even Draco looked shocked as he took a step in front her, knowing she'd never hurt him.

"Look, Grange-," she cut him off as though he hadn't even spoken, addressing all the other Slytherins.

"I am not afraid of you, Zabini. You're a prick!" she glared at the other three boys her eyes passing over Draco as if he didn't exist. "That goes for you too: Nott, Crabbe, Goyle! Just go fuck yourselves!"

Draco made as if to reach for her, but she gracefully spun around without acknowledging him and turned to Harry and Ron. By the expressions on their faces, they were equally amazed at her words and actions. However, they sported huge grins and looked at her proudly. She marched past them with her head held high and they followed after her, snickering rather loudly at the dumbfounded Slytherins left in her wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~

As the weeks went by, Draco tried to taunt Hermione in the hallways or outside whenever their paths crossed. But like that first Monday morning, Hermione didn't respond at all to him at all. She hadn't looked _at_ him since the night of the dance. She had a knack of gazing in his direction or even right where he was sitting, but it was as though she couldn't see him. Her eyes would pass over him and through him as if she were seeing something beyond him. She never, ever allowed her her eyes to meet his.

When he tried to goad her into an argument, she never let on by word or expression that she had even heard him speak. If he were with other Slytherins, she always had a sharp response to _their _crude comments though his appeared to fall on deaf ears. Often the words that came out of the small witch's mouth were enough to cause the normally jaded students to blush. Hermione still somehow managed to exclude him from her insults, though it did not seem to be because she didn't want to hurt him. It was as if she did not even register that he had spoken or was even present. In retaliation for her lack of reaction to him, his words towards her became more vicious as the weeks went on. He did everything he could think of to get her to respond to him.

Draco couldn't catch her alone. Every time he saw her, she was with Potter and Weasley or surrounded by other protective friends. Even in the Library, she seemed to have a gaggle of students hanging onto her every word. In prefect meetings, she sat away from him and kept her attention on everyone else. In classes where she used to write down everything, even correct student responses, Draco noticed her quill stayed still if he spoke. She simply didn't react to his presence.

He wanted to shake her, since he knew if he touched her physically this wall, or whatever it was that she had built between them would crumble. He would rather have her slap him again, than have this _nothingness_. He couldn't get near her though. There were always too many bodies always in the way. It was as though _he_ was invisible. It was beginning to drive him insane.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione continued to be at the top of her class. Her grades were still perfect, but she no longer raised her hand eagerly to answer every question. She always had the correct answer when a professor called upon her, but she didn't act the know-it-all anymore. While she still loved learning, she seemed to have lost the need to prove it all the time.

She still tutored the younger years and was surprised to find herself being requested most often by those who needed extra help. She didn't know it, but the younger years were awed by her fearlessness during confrontations. They also hoped to hear some of her famous insults, not that she would ever speak to _them_ like that. Maybe she felt the need for some balance when faced with so much animosity from the older Slytherins; but whatever the reason, she had inadvertently become kinder and friendlier towards the more innocent younger students. Though they hid it from their house mates, there were even a few first and second year Slytherins who blossomed under her kind attention.

She fulfilled all her prefect duties as efficiently as ever. This time the Heads had _not _refused her quiet request for a change in patrolling partners. Now she did her rounds with Anthony Goldstein, a serious Ravenclaw who was extremely polite to her. He thoroughly enjoyed her intellect. The two completed their duties while speaking about arithmancy equations, which were Anthony's particular passion, and testing each other on potions ingredients. While he was a nice young man, patrols were very intellectual and completely dry. They were such different experiences compared to _any_ of the patrols that Hermione had ever done with Draco. The contrast served to highlight how exciting her with him had been; she had felt so alive with Draco. To her dismay, having Anthony as her patrol partner made her miss the Slytherin Prince even more.

Her feelings were invisible to most of the people at the school. Only her year mates knew how she had really felt about Draco. Now though, even most of them weren't sure if she still loved him, _which secretly she did._ She had put up a fantastic facade in the weeks since the dance. No one but Lavender and Parvati, who would never tell, knew that she cried herself to sleep every night.


	6. Confrontations

Chapter 6 Confrontations

_Last Chapter: Her feelings were invisible to most of the people at the school. Only her year mates knew how she had really felt about Draco. Now though, even most of them weren't sure if she still loved him, __which secretly she did. She had put up a fantastic facade in the weeks since the dance. No one but Lavender and Parvati, who would never tell, knew that she cried herself to sleep every night._

The weeks since Valentine's Day had passed quite quickly. Now, it was nearing the end of April and spring was just beginning to get a strong foothold on the land around Hogwarts. The warmth in the air, however, did little to dispel the feelings that Hermione held inside. The outward antipathy between the older Slytherins and Hermione had settled into the expected verbal battle every time they met. She still refused to acknowledge Draco at all when she saw him. She took a small bit of comfort in the fact that she knew it pissed him off. _Not that he'll ever know,_ she thought in satisfaction. He liked to be the center of attention and the loss of it hurt his pride. _But not as much as he hurt my heart._

Other grudges between the two houses came and went, but usually they were more quickly resolved through duels or physical fights. The Slytherins never saw Hermione alone and had been unsuccessful in goading her into a physical or magical confrontation when her friends were present. It was inevitable that they would catch her alone at some point.

Hermione was definitely running behind schedule. She had been helping two first years fix up their presentation for transfiguration. They were very nervous, so she had taken the extra few minutes to walk them to class, while giving them some last minute pointers and words of encouragement. She was hurrying down the path towards the clearing set at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid had instructed the sixth years to meet him there today for Care of Magical Creatures, as he was going to have them study the natural habitat of the Furtle Squirbits.

"Not so fast, Granger," came the sound of a harsh voice behind her. She glanced back and saw Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Marcus Flint, and Vincent Crabbe behind her. They were sauntering towards her, not in a particular rush. Flint and Nott spread out a little in a blatant attempt to flank her.

She slipped her wand out of her pocket and tried to move a bit further away from them. Up ahead of her from behind some trees, stepped Gregory Goyle, Miles Bletchley, Adrian Pucey, and _Draco_. She felt a pang when she saw him. She just hadn't thought _he_ hated her so much. Despite the reason behind it, he had been devastatingly good to her when he'd taken her virginity. Clearly though, the Slytherins meant to do her serious harm her right now. They ranged themselves in front of her, effectively blocking that avenue of escape.

_Oh crap, this can't be good,_ she thought, _where is everyone?_ She came to a stop about halfway between the two groups, dropping her bag and gripping her wand defensively. "What do you want?" she demanded, trying to keep her eyes on all the boys.

"Your guard dogs aren't here to save you, mudblood," Nott taunted with an evil grin on his face.

"We're tired of your smart mouth saying all that shit to us," Zabini added. "Who the hell do you think you are to talk to us that way?" He was still furious over that episode in the Great Hall.

"I wouldn't have to say anything, if you just left me alone," Hermione stated defiantly. "Leave me alone now. Hagrid is just up ahead." Her brain was racing a mile a minute selecting and rejecting options. She let her mind focus, knowing this wasn't just a game.

"Oh no, bitch," Nott replied smiling wickedly. "Somehow his precious animals got into some linder leaves. He and everyone else ran them back to his hovel to make sure they're all right. It's just you and us."

Hermione looked quickly at the faces around her. She didn't see a sign of mercy on any of them. Crabbe and Goyle were nodding moronically, but it didn't look like they actually knew what was going to happen. Draco did. He was really pale and he was the only one not looking at her. He had a slightly sick look on his face. He hadn't said anything yet either.

"We're going to teach you your place, you whore," Nott said menacingly. "It's time you learned that your mudblood mouth is only good for one thing when it comes to purebloods.

"We're just going see if Draco was telling the truth when he said you were a good lay," Zabini said with a nasty laugh. "Now be a good slut and come here." He reached forward and grabbed Hermione by the arm.

Years later, Draco would recall the events of that next ten minutes in amazed admiration. Hermione was completely magnificent.

What happened next took the boys completely by surprise. On moment, Blaise had the witch's wrist in his grasp and the next he was flung backwards onto the ground in a blast of fiery sparks with Hermione's yell of "_Relashio_" ringing in his ears and his hand stinging painfully.

"What the fuck?" he yelled. None of them had expected her to attack. They had thought their numbers and sheer physical intimidation would have cowed her.

As the boys goggled in shock at this turn of events, those with enough presence of mind started fumbling within their robes to get their wands out. She didn't give them the chance. Rapidly waving and pointing_ her _wand, she spoke the proper incantations so quickly, it sounded like she was singing them.

"_Expelliarmus – Expelliarmus – Cunfundo - Levicorpus-" _Hermione chanted_. _Nott and Pucey, the two closest boys, were knocked back into the trees. Goyle found himself suddenly staring at a rock unable to understand why, but it was just _so_ fascinating. Crabbe lumbered forward, as always relying upon physical strength, and found himself hanging upside down five feet in the air, facing the wrong way.

"_Petrificus Totalus - Incarcerous – Langlock - Impedementa-" _the Gryffindor witch continued to belt out barely pausing to take a breath. Her wand moved with terrifying accuracy. Blaise Zabini, who had just gotten back up wand in hand, screamed as his body locked and he fell over with a crash. Pucey who had just made his way back into the fray was suddenly lying next to him, trussed like a turkey with multiple loops of rope. Theodore Nott had never even risen after hitting the tree. Miles Bletchley managed to point his wand at her but found himself unable to say a curse or take another step towards the small witch when he was hit with her last two spells.

Marcus Flint, the oldest, most experienced boy in Slytherin pointed his wand steadily at Hermione and yelled, "_Incendio_!" He was sure she couldn't defend herself and keep up her offense at the same time. He was wrong.

"_Aguamenti-Engorgio-Aguamenti-_" the brown eyed girl screamed back pointing her wand directly at Flint. The fire spell met the strong jet of water midair, drops of boiling water splashing onto the combatants while the majority of the spells' results turned to steam and dispersed. Flint watched the display with awe, while Hermione's concentration never wavered. Realizing the quidditch captain was the most dangerous of the bunch, she quickly yelled, "_Stupify!_" before he could recover his wits. She watched with relief as he collapsed into unconsciousness.

"_Incarcerous – Incarcerous -Incarcerous, Incarcerous-_"she continued. At these words, first Zabini then Bletchley, and lastly Nott and Flint, though they weren't conscious, found themselves in the same state as Pucey. Hermione looked appraisingly at Crabbe and Goyle, then left them as they were with a disgusted wrinkle of her nose.

"_Accio seven wands_" was her last call. As the wands settled into her free hand, she finally stopped to take a breath, sagging as her adrenalin rush ended and the exhaustion of casting so many spells in such rapid succession caught up with her.

"Look at me, Granger," she heard the one Slytherin that had not taken part in the fight. She hadn't forgotten him. _She could never forget him_. In fact, she had been almost hyper-aware of his actions throughout the confrontation. However, as he hadn't made a move towards her or even taken out his wand, she had continued to ignore him. Now,at long last, she turned to face him.

"I should kill you for this," Draco said with no emotion in his voice. He had his wand out and it was pointed right at her. Her heart sank. She knew she had exhausted most of her resources already and, magically, he was a match for her, when she was at full strength. He would probably take her down right now. She was mentally readying herself for another battle, but then she really _looked _at him. His hand was unsteady and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. He still had that sick look that she had noticed earlier upon his face. From where they were positioned, she knew none of the other Slytherins could see them; his expressions were for her alone.

She allowed herself to meet his eyes for the first time in over two months. For an instant, everything faded away and it was just the two of them. Brown eyes clashed with gray, both sixteen year-olds drinking in the sight of the other. Memories passed between them. He looked at her pleadingly as he glanced at the Slytherins behind her. A loud groan from one of the boys broke the moment, and they were back to the predicament at hand.

His eyes had told her things, though. He had tried to let her know that he was amazed at her strength; not just now, but over the past few weeks. He wanted her to know that he didn't want to hurt her, he had stopped wanting to hurt her for a while now. He tried to tell her that he didn't want to do _this_, but he didn't know how to let her go without losing face with his house mates.

Knowing the the other boys could hear anything they said she mouthed silently, "Would you have let them do _that_ to me?"

"_I don't know,_" he shaped with his mouth honestly, shaking his head miserably. "_I don't think so..._" She could read the uncertainty in his eyes.

She nodded once sadly, looking deeply into his eyes again. Before he could say anything else, she quickly raised her wand and whispered, "Stupefy!"

After he slumped to the ground, Hermione gently took his wand from his hand. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and gently kissed him just one last time. She didn't bind him.

Walking over to Goyle, she tapped him on the shoulder. "Goyle?" she asked nicely. "When you've finished enjoying that rock, can you please give your friends back their wands?"

"Uh-huh," was his dazed reply as she wearily walked back up the path to the castle.


	7. Repercussions

Chapter 7 Repercussions

_Last Chapter: After Draco slumped to the ground, Hermione gently took his wand from his hand. She smoothed his hair back from his forehead and gently kissed him just one last time. She didn't bind him. Walking over to Goyle, she tapped him on the shoulder. "Goyle?" she asked nicely, "when you've finished enjoying that rock, can you please give your friends back their wands?" "Uh-huh," was his dazed reply as she wearily walked back up the path to the castle._

It had been week, and Hermione hadn't told anybody about the encounter with the Slytherins. She didn't want her house mates and best friends to go on the war path against the other boys. She was grateful for the support when it came to defending her against innuendos and verbal attacks, but she couldn't bear it if they were physically hurt because of her.

She thought she had acquitted herself pretty well. She had been worried that she couldn't handle herself against more than one opponent. She was smart enough to know things could of gone differently if the Slytherins had had their wand already out and were trained better. She knew their overconfidence had been their downfall. Still, she was proud of herself. The spell singing method that she had created worked! She grinned. _I've got to teach that to Harry and everyone else in the DA,_ she thought, _I just have to figure out how to tell them it works without bringing up this whole thing. _

She didn't quite know what to make of her interactions with Draco. She didn't avoid looking at him anymore. It seemed pointless, as he knew she did see him. Since their exchange of looks before she'd _stupefied_ him, she knew he had seen as many things in her eyes as she had seen in his. She couldn't lie to him like that anymore. She could tell that he felt something for her, but she didn't know what. Was he just feeling guilt or did he really care? Was he missing her like she missed him? Or did he just want her because for the last couple of months he hadn't been able to have any part of her? She wanted to believe that he wouldn't have let the other Slytherins hurt her, but she wasn't sure. He cared _too_ damn much about what all the purebloods thought of him. She didn't know if it was possible for him to go against years of brainwashing.

_Why is this so hard? _Hermione thought, _I wish I could ask the girls. _Ginny, Parvati, and Lavender would know what to make of it, but she couldn't tell them because then the whole fight would come out.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione had seen Draco many time this past week. They had locked eyes numerous times, but they hadn't spoken until today. This morning, Hermione had unexpectedly came across Draco when she arrived at Transfiguration class almost half an hour early.

"Oh, I didn't know anyone was here," she said, though_ I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid! _is what she actually thought when she spied him already in the classroom. She quickly sat at her desk and began to unpack her books and quills. She was flustered enough that she dropped her quill and knocked her parchment roll to the floor. _Damn it!_

As she straightened up from leaning over to get the paper, a pale arm moved into her vision holding her quill. She looked up and his gray eyes were inches from hers. _Oh my God._ He was crouching by her desk, the familiar scent of his cologne wafting over her. Her breath caught in her throat and she let out a gasp, inadvertently dropping the paper again. His mouth moved upward in a small smile of amusement.

He gently took her now empty hand and placed the quill into it, softly closing her fingers over the feather. His one hand remained holding hers, while the other ghosted up her arm to caress her cheek. _Oh God he feels good,_ she thought as she leaned into his palm.

"Hermione," he breathed softly. He moved to sit next to her on the bench. He leaned in closer putting his hands on her hips, and unintentionally her eyes drifted closed. His lips touched hers and she tasted peppermint and the flavor the was distinctly _Draco_.

He kissed her thoroughly, dipping his tongue in to relearn the inside of her mouth. Her tongue dueled with his teasingly for a moment. Then his mouth moved across her cheek and down her neck.

She heard him murmur, "I've missed touching you."

As his words registered, she came back to herself. It was one of the hardest thing she had ever done, but her eyes sprang open and she slid back away from him breaking contact. After taking a few breaths to calm herself she said, "Don't, Draco. I can't do this again."

"I know you want me," the platinum haired boy reminded her, reaching for her again. "I can see it in your eyes. Remember how good it felt? We can have that again." She dropped the quill, grabbed his seeking hands, squeezing them once before letting go.

"I loved you," she shook her head and smiled sadly back at him. "You didn't love me. I was just your 10 Galleon bet."

"There's no bet now," he told her, "and I still want you. Feel what you do to me." He took her empty hand and pressed it against the bulge in his lap. Slowly, she pulled her hand away shaking her head.

"I can't forget what you did to me. How do I know you're not playing games with me again? You said so many cruel things to me and about me."

"You know I just did that because you wouldn't talk to me again," he reasoned. "It didn't mean anything."

"But you really hurt me," Hermione cried out. "What am I supposed to think now? Do you want me for me? Or do you just want to sleep with me again."

"I don't want to hurt you. I just want to be with you again. I can't get that night out of my head," the Slytherin said honestly. Then he added smoothly, "We can figure the rest out as we go along."

"Would you be with me openly no matter what your house mates may think? Would I be the girlfriend you introduce to your pureblood family and friends?" she asked him quietly as she heard a clatter from the hallway indicating that other students would be arriving soon.

He looked at her for a long moment without answering, indecision on his face. _Please pick me,_ she thought. However, by the time the first students walked into the room, Draco was back at his own desk looking out the window.

"I guess that answers my question," Hermione said softly.

"Hi Mione!" Harry said, as he and Ron walked into the room. She pasted on a smile and turned to greet her best friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When they hadn't been hauled before Dumbledore and expelled from the school that evening after their encounter with the female member of the Golden Trio, the Slytherin boys realized that she hadn't snitched. They couldn't quite understand it; it was the least that they expected her to do. In their world the loser _always_ paid. They had all been at her mercy and she could have caused them major pain that they would have deserved. However, she had left them relatively unscathed and just walked away. Nott had a slight concussion, which they told Pomfrey was caused by a broom crash. Zabini had second degree burns upon his hand, easily explained away as a mishap when practicing spells. Goyle had seemed to develop a strange fascination for rocks, as he could be seen petting the castle walls and mumbling to them. That didn't need explaining though; he was just Goyle after all.

Being Slytherins though, the teens weren't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. They kept their mouths shut about the whole thing. They weren't about to admit to anyone that a single small _mudblood_ witch disarmed eight heirs to some of the oldest pureblood houses in the wizarding world. They may not have liked the girl but her cunning use of magic, not to mention the arse-kicking she had delivered, had seriously strained years of indoctrination that mudblood witches and wizards were inferior to purebloods. They all reacted in different ways to the confrontation depending upon their individual personalities and strength of belief.

Hermione noticed with relief that her treatment at the hands of the other Slytherins had changed somewhat for the better. The seventh years had quit baiting her in public and calling her names. Flint had even gone so far as to tell two girls who were tormenting her to "give it a rest, the mudblood isn't worth it". When she had looked at him in amazement, he had nodded neutrally, but she had seen a glimmer of respect in his eyes. Pucey and Bletchley often had the same expression when they looked at her. Most of Slytherin House didn't know what merited the change, but deferred to the seventh years by following their lead.

Nott and Zabini still looked at her with undisguised hatred. They were angry and embarrassed that she had bested them. The fact that she didn't seek retribution against them, made them even more suspicious of her. Their views about their superiority were too deeply ingrained. They were among the few who continued to badmouthed her, but they stopped quickly if they saw her fingering her wand. They would have tried to corner her again, but their schemes garnered no support from anyone else in the house. Frankly, they were too cowardly to go against her by themselves. They couldn't get her, but they knew some people who could.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Dinner was in full swing in the Great Hall, when the doors opened and Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head Auror, stepped into the hall. He walked to the head table, where he spoke quietly to Dumbledore and McGonagall.

His gaze seemed to sweep over the Gryffindor table lingering on where the Golden Trio sat with their year mates. Hermione noticed him immediately. She nudged Harry, who in turn poked Ron in the side. The three of them looked at their friend from the Order of the Pheonix and waved. He raised a hand to them in greeting, but his eyes remained somber. The three of them continued with dinner until, Hermione felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Miss Granger, I'd like to see you in my office right now, if you please. Professor McGonagall will escort you there."

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore," she said automatically though her heart started pounding harder in her chest. She stood and allowed her Head of House to lead her toward the door.

_Merlin, _she thought, _They must know about the confrontation. There's going to be so much trouble._ Behind her, she heard her friends protest, but Dumbledore murmured something to them which made them subside.

Dumbledore and Kingsley arrived in the office, before the witches had even settled in their seats. Silent messages seemed to fly between the adults in the room.

"Hermione, Kingsley has asked if he can talk to you and a few other students," Dumbledore told her. She nodded.

"Hello Hermione," the other wizard said. "We've intercepted some informaton about a muggleborn witch that we think may pertain to you." She just looked at him puzzled.

"It probably has nothing to do with her," Professor McGonagall snapped. "She doesn't duel. It's against school rules."

_Oh no_, Hermione thought, _I am in so much trouble. _She forced herself to refocus on Kingsley's questions.

"Did you have a duel or some such thing with another student at the school recently?"

"Well, yes, kind of," she prevaricated, squirming a little uncomfortably in her seat. "It happened last Tuesday." McGonagall made a surprised gasp.

"Who did you duel with?" the auror asked. "It's very important that we know." Hermione looked at her professor and the Headmaster. They both encouraged her to continue.

"It was Theodore Nott, Marcus Flint, Adrian Pucey, Blaise Zambini, Miles Bletchley, Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe and," she hesitated before adding, "Draco Malfoy was there, though he didn't really fight me."

As the young witch had added each name to the list, Kingsley's eyes had widened and his mouth had dropped open. "You had duels with all of them on the same day? How long did that take you? Which ones were you able to beat?"

"Well, I guess I beat all of them and it didn't take too long since it was all at the same time," Hermione answered in a small voice feeling really uncomfortable at the arrested stares she was receiving from the three adults.

"Hermione, do you mind if we look at a pensieve of that morning? It may clear things up a bit for us," Dumbledore asked her. When she nodded her acquiescence, he put his wand to her temple and drew the silver memory out. Telling her that they would be but a moment, he and the other two adults went over to his pensieve bowl to view her memory.

When they came back to her, all three were looking at her thoughtfully.

Kingsly said to her, "Good show, Hermione. If you ever want an auror position, I'll be holding a place for you. I'd like to know more about your spell casting style!" Hermione blushed with pleasure.

"Yes, child, that was an amazing display," praised McGonagall softly, "but we have some serious news for you." She looked severely at Kingsley and he appeared abashed all of a sudden. He looked to Dumbledore for help.

"I'm sorry Hermione," the white haired wizard said sorrowfully. "The bodies of two muggles were found in Diagon Alley. We think they are your parents." Hermione looked at him in shock and disbelief.

"But...how...what.." for the first time ever, Hermione Granger had no words.

"They were found with the dark mark above them and a message. It read: _To Potter's Mudblood, Did you think you could duel with a pureblood son and win? We will always best you. Your parents paid the price for bringing your filth into our world. Your life will be the price for your temerity."_

Her greatest fear of having a loved one hurt because of her had just come true. At Kingsley's words, she swayed and their forms suddenly wavered in her vision. Hermione's eyes closed and she knew no more.


	8. Goodbye To You

Chapter 8 Goodbye To You

_Last Chapter: "They were found with the dark mark above them and a message. It read: To Potter's Mudblood, Did you think you could duel with a pureblood son and win? We will always best you. Your parents paid the price for bringing your filth into our world. Your life will be the price for your temerity." Her greatest fear of having a loved one hurt because of her had just come true. At Kingsley's words, she swayed and their forms suddenly wavered in her vision. Hermione's eyes closed and she knew no more._

When Hermione awoke next it was morning, she was in a completely unfamiliar room. It actually looked like a hotel room, _a muggle_ hotel room. Professor McGonagall walked into the room wearing a long black muggle dress, looking like an nineteenth century schoolmarm. She sat down next to Hermione on the bed.

"What's going on, Professor?" she asked, but as she said it she suddenly remembered the night before.

"Hermione, child, there is a price on your head at the request of one of the fathers of one of those Slytherin boys. Because there are so many of them who attacked you, Kingsly couldn't pinpoint who actually gave the order. You're in danger until he can be captured and held." McGonagall explained.

"Why are we here?"

"It's for you safety, my dear. We brought your parents' bodies to the Muggle authorities who were able to identify them. They looked through your parents papers and your guardianship has passed to your mother's brother, Ethan Langstrom," the professor told the girl that looked so lost. "They've contacted him and he's sent a plane ticket to his home in Massachusetts."

"Her brother, Ethan? In America? But I don't think I've ever met him. I've only seen the pictures of him that Mum showed me." Hermione felt like crying. Her Mum and Dad were gone and now they were sending her away. "I want to stay at Hogwarts."

"I know, Hermione," the elder witch said stroking her head, "but Dumbledore and Shacklebolt think that you will be safer if we can get you out of England at least for the next few months. What safer place to hide you than in a muggle house in the United States? You'll reach your majority in the fall and you can come back to Hogwarts then."

"But what about Harry and Ron and.." _Draco, _she thought_, _though out loud she said, "...everyone else? Won't I get to see them before I go?"

The Head of Gryffindor House shook her head, "No dear, it's safer if you go right now."

Hemione did start to sob qiuetly. She wanted her parents. She wanted her friends. She even wanted Draco. She felt so alone.

Professor McGonagall gathered the girl into a hug. She looked at her sorrowfully saying, "You're strong, Hermione, you'll get through this. Use this time to heal and then come back to us.

She helped the stricken witch to compose herself and then continued on briskly, "Your plane is going to leave in two hours. We're right next to that muggle airport. I'd simply _apparate_ you, but your Uncle already sent the ticket, so he's expecting you to arrive by plane. At least we know he wants you; apparently he responded right away. Now, these two suitcases are filled with your muggle clothes and personal items. All of your wizarding goods, including some books I chose for you are in this trunk that I shrunk for you to put into your pocket. I didn't want you to not have everything. Remember to be careful where you take these things out. It wouldn't do to scare your uncle's family."

A little less than two hours later, Minerva McGonagall watched the most promising student she had ever taught board a plane to her temporary sanctuary. She hoped Hermione worked through her grief and returned to them safely.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"What do you mean she's gone?" Ron shouted at Dumbledore in his office.

"Mr. Weasley, kindly refrain from yelling at me," the wizard stated. "I asked you here so that you could hear the news first, before the general announcement. It is a courtesy I am extending to you because I know of your close friendship with Miss Granger.

"Sorry, Sir," he mumbled turning a bit red in the face. Harry nodded at him in understanding.

"Miss Granger's parents were killed last night," Dumbledore told the boys.

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "Is she all right? What happened?"

Dumbledore told the boys about the Grangers' murder and the message aimed at Hermione. He felt it prudent to leave out the details of the confrontation, letting them think that only one student was involved. "Once, we've caught the student who complained to his father, we can magically neutralize the threat."

"Why didn't she tell us she fought with someone? Is it Malfoy?" asked Harry dangerously.

"Actually gentlemen, we have evidence that suggests it isn't him. However, Kingsley has a list of suspects."

"Where is she now?" Ron wanted to know.

"I can't tell you, but please trust me. She is as safe as can be."

"Please, Sir, can't you give us any more information?" implored Harry worriedly. "We just want to know she's all right. You know how important she is to all of us."

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said gently. "She had to be moved for her own safety. Please assure the rest of your house that she will be fine and I'm sure she misses you. I expect her to be back here for the next school year. Just be patient and it will all turn out well."

~*~*~*~*~*~

At dinner, Dumbledore made the announcement that Hermione Granger had withdrawn from Hogwarts due to the death of her parents. There were exclamations of sadness and regret from the Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws. Even those who hadn't known Hermione well felt bad for the girl. Her friends and house mates were peppered with questions and it was the talk of the dinner hour.

The Slytherins were less affected. Hermione wasn't one of theirs, and she was a mudblood to boot. Most of them maintained expressionless faces at the news. Unexpected deaths were not uncommon in their world, especially in recent years, and they had learned it was best to not react strongly. Staff members carefully watched the actions of eight of them in particular.

Draco Malfoy became very quiet and stared down at his plate, not looking at or speaking to anyone for the remainder of the meal. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle continued to shovel in food, as if nothing had happened.

When Pansy Parkinson stated obnoxiously, "Good riddance to that trash!" causing Millicent Bullustrode to giggle loudly, Marcus Flint narrowed his eyes at them and hissed, "Shut it, you bints. Show the manners that your parents raised you to have." They quickly became silent and tried to put indifferent expressions on their faces. Adrian Pucey and Miles Bletchley just exchanged serious glances with him.

Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini whispered together throughout the meal. It was noted by watchful eyes that whenever they glanced at the Gryffindor table, they both had small smirks of satisfaction on their faces.

At the end of the meal, Professor Snape stopped at his house table to announce, "Mr. Flint, Mr. Pucey, Mr. Bletchley, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini, Mr. Nott, Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle will report to my classroom in half an hour." He glided away without waiting for an answer, expecting to be obeyed implicitly. The teens glanced at each other and swallowed.

"Right then," said Marcus Flint. "That's that."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The eight boys arrived in a group, for once ignoring the unspoken "every man for himself" Slytherin mentality. They knew they were in deep trouble and derived some comfort in knowing the rest were in the same boat. Their tenuous alliance died a quick death, however, when they walked into the classroom and saw not only Snape, but Dumbledore, Kingsley and two other aurors already in the room.

"Sit down, gentlemen," said Dumbledore his eyes grave. "We need to discuss an incident which occurred last Tuesday." The teens obeyed. "Do you have anything that you want to say?"

"We didn't do anything!" burst out Zabini, "We were only teasing Granger. She just took things the wrong way! She attacked us!"

"Really?" sneered Snape. "Eight large men cornering a lone female doesn't sound like _just_ teasing."

"That's not what happened," Blaise lied looking for the others to back him up. "This is just a big misunderstanding."

"She's lying," declared Nott, boldly. "It's her word against ours. She's just a mud- muggleborn witch. Why would _we_ have anything to do with her? We're all purebloods!"

"Oh shut the hell up with that crap, Nott," Marcus Flint burst out unexpectedly. "She just wanted us to leave her alone, and when we didn't she wiped the floor with us! We _lost, _Nott, we _deserve _whatever we get. Just be a man and take it!" He looked at Pucey and Bletchley and they nodded. There had obviously been some deep discussions going on in the Slytherin seventh year dorm during the past week.

"Look, sir," Marcus continued becoming the group's spokesperson. "We know that we were wrong. Originally, we just wanted to scare her and humiliate her. When she didn't seem to back down, some of us..." the other boys glared at Nott and Zabini, "said some… er ... really bad stuff. It just got out of hand from there. We weren't really planning on sexually assaulting her!"

"Do the rest of you agree with that explanation?" Snape asked silkily. Bletchley, Pucey, and Draco nodded immediately. Crabbe and Goyle looked slightly confused at the question, but nodded just to match the others.

Nott and Zabini just looked mutinous, refusing to admit any wrongdoing.

"I am disgusted to have you as members of my house," Snape said ominously. "I despise cowards, but even worse, liars! Just so you know, Mr. Nott and Mr. Zabini, we _have_ a _penseive_ of the entire encounter." The two boys shrank from his glare.

Dumbledore looked at all of the boys in front off him severely. "After looking at the memory numerous times, the Professors and I have come up with suitable punishments for all of you. Know that I would have expelled all of you had _any_ harm come to Miss Granger. You should be grateful that she, how did you put it? Oh yes, wiped the floor with you. However, I tend to _mostly_ agree with Mr. Flint's version of the story. At least you are showing remorse and trying to tell the truth. Fortunately for you, I can only punish you for your actions, not your intentions. First, you are banned from all Hogsmeade visits and from leaving school grounds until the end of the school year. Second, you will serve detention every day for the next month, and every Saturday for the remainder of the school year. Third, you are banned from all extracurricular activities."

"Sir, but what about quidditch?" Flint asked the Headmaster miserably. "More than half of our team is here and I'm captain. We still have the last game of the year."

"Be that as it may, my decision stands," Dumbledore said looking at him steadily. "A captain is someone who should lead his troops with honor, did you do that?" Marcus closed his eyes and hung his head.

"Mr. Malfoy, you will hand in your prefect badge. I need not explain why," Dumbledore addressed the blond boy. He looked up at the wizard and nodded. He tried and mostly hid the pain and sadness in his eyes.

"Mr. Zabini, you _did_ put your hands on Miss Granger _while_ threatening to do her harm. For that you are expelled. We have notified your mother to expect you home tonight." Blaise looked shocked.

"You can't do that! I'm the one that got bloody burned! I didn't even hurt her! Nott was the one who came up with the whole thing!"he yelled trying to turn the blame.

"Shut up, you traitor," screamed Nott. "_I_ didn't touch her. _I _was knocked out in the beginning. _I'm_ a _victim_ here. Wait until my father hears about this!"

"You already told him, you bloody bastard, and look what happened!" Zabini stopped suddenly, and fell silent. Nott paled. The adults in the room looked at one another meaningfully.

"Mr. Nott, Mr. Zabini, I'd like you both to accompany me to the Ministry to answer some questions," said Kingsley as he stood up. Before the boys could protest, Kingsley and the male aurors had escorted them from the room.

The other boys had watched the removal of their house mates with wide eyes. Again, it was Marcus Flint who first understood the implications of what had happened.

"Granger's parents?" he asked though it wasn't really a question.

~*~*~*~*~*~

In Andover, Massachusetts a car pulled up to a sprawling house set back from the road by a quarter mile drive through a thicket of trees. During the forty minute drive from the airport, Ethan Langstrom told Hermione about her aunt and two older cousins, Melissa and Thomas. He seemed to want to make her feel welcome. However, there was an awkwardness when he spoke, as though he was carefully weighing each thing he told her. She didn't really notice because the events of the past couple of days had driven her to the point of exhaustion. Hermione tiredly got out and followed her Uncle Ethan to the side door.

"Everyone's waiting inside, Hermione," he said comfortingly. "We'll get you squared away in no time!"

When she entered the house, she felt the slight _tingle_ of the house wards as she passed through their barrier. Ahead of her was a completely nondescript sitting room, where she could see a pretty older woman, a girl who looked to be about eighteen, and a man in his early twenties waiting. The woman, who must be her aunt appeared slightly nervous, though the younger woman and man looked impatient. She felt like she was missing something. Then it hit her: _house wards, _she thought_, Oh my God - muggle houses don't have wards! _Terrror flashed through her. Suddenly wide awake, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at the back of her "Uncle Ethan's" neck.

"Who the hell are you people?" she demanded. "You're not muggles!"

He looked back at her, shock apparent in every line of his body. Everyone else had frozen at her words. There was silence for a long moment, then surprisingly Ethan laughed in relief. Hermione just looked at him confusedly. She should be more worried, but that laugh didn't make her feel threatened.

"Hermione," he said smiling genuinely for the first time since meeting her. "I didn't know you were a witch! I thought I was the only one in the family to have magic."

"Since she's not a muggle, does that mean we can transfigure our stuff back to normal now?" came the wry voice of the eighteen year old girl.

At the sound of those words, Hermione thought things just might be okay.


	9. Hermione's Return

Chapter 9 Hermione's Return

_Last Chapter: "Hermione," he said smiling genuinely for the first time since meeting her, "I didn't know you were a witch! I thought I was the only one in the family to have magic." "Since she's not a muggle, does that mean we can transfigure our stuff back to normal now?" came the wry voice of the eighteen year old girl. At the sound of those words, Hermione thought things just might be okay._

Platform 9 3/4 was packed with Hogwarts students and families saying their goodbyes on this first day of the new school year. Harry had spent most of the summer at the Burrow after the obligatory few days at the Dursley residence. Ron and he both seemed to have a new maturity about them. With the help of Dumbledore, and Snape of all people, they had tracked down three horcruxes and destroyed them. Though they could have used Hermione's help, it had done them good to have succeeded at these important tasks on their own. Currently, they were standing with Ginny saying goodbye to Aurthur and Molly.

At the barrier to the platform, four newcomers were making their way through the throng towards where the original group was standing. The quartet strode along confidently, chatting easily with one another. Their progress was unimpeded, as people seemed to move out of their way automatically. People's eyes went first to the two men who flanked the women protectively. Both were good looking, though the taller lankier one had that indefinable something that clearly marked him as the leader of the group. The woman with raven colored hair had legs that went on forever and the face of an angel: a sexy, sultry angel.

Of the two, it was the smaller woman that drew the most looks, though she was not a classic beauty. Her heart shaped face held a certain sweetness, though a hint of sadness could be seen lurking in her eyes. Her expression as she talked with the stockier man flitted through a wide range of emotions, which included affection, good humor, anxiousness and determination. She looked healthy and confident: ready to take on the world. While the taller woman caught the eye first with her striking beauty, it was the smaller curvy girl whom everyone in the Weasley's group wanted to talk to.

"Hermione," yelled Harry as he caught sight of her. He wrapped her up in a hug and swung her around in a circle. "I've missed you! Dumbledore said you would be back, but we didn't hear from you. I tried to owl you, but Hedwig always came back with the letters."

"I've missed you too, Harry," Hermione joyfully answered him. "I wasn't in England, so the owls wouldn't have gotten to me. I'm sorry I didn't get in touch." She snuggled closer, relishing the contact.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you're back," he looked deeply into her eyes. "Are you doing all right?"

"Yeah. I have so much to tell all of you," she said aloud. _I didn't realize how much I missed him until this moment_, she thought to herself.

"Oi, hand her over, Harry," Ron interrupted. "The rest of us want a turn!" That said, he grabbed Hermione in a long hug of his own before she was passed around to the Ginny, Aurthur and Molly. The last held her for a long moment, glad that the girl, whom she loved as much as her own children, was safely back with them.

The greetings and exclamations lasted for a couple of minutes, before Hermione remembered her companions. They were watching the exchange patiently with amused looks of their faces. They didn't seem fazed by the chaos around them. _Of course not,_ Hermione thought wistfully thinking of the coven's bond. _That's how they always are when they're together._

"Everyone," she said gathering their attention. "I want you to meet some important people. These are my cousins, Melissa and Thomas, and our friend, Donovan." She gestured at the American trio with her arm. and then introduced the others to them. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and these are my best friends: Harry, Ron, and Ginny." The English group showed some surprise to hear about the familial connection, but greeted the three cordially.

"I didn't know you had cousins, Hermione," exclaimed Ginny. She continued in a whisper that only her friends could hear, "Should they be in this part of the platform? I mean, aren't they muggles?"

Hermione laughed merrily and said, "I should let you know that they're all wizards." At their interested looks, she explained, "I didn't even know anything about them until I met them for the first time last spring." She was interrupted by the final call for boarding the train. "I'll tell you all about it later, but we have to get going."

Harry and the Weasley teens quickly bid Arthur and Molly farewell and waived amiably to Hermione's companions, before boarding the train. Hermione signaled that she would follow in a few minutes. First she hugged the elder two Weasleys and then stepped away for a private moment with Melissa, Thomas, and Donovan.

"God, I'll miss you, Mel," she said hugging the older witch. "Thank you for everything...for listening...for the advice about Draco," She whispered the last part.

Melissa squeezed her affectionately and ordered, "You just take care of yourself and let us know if you need us for anything. We're your family now and we'll always be there for you."

"I know," Hermione said gratefully before turning to Thomas. "Thanks for helping me to fly better and for teaching me all the great spells this summer, Thomas. They'll really come in handy if I get into any sticky situations." She hugged him tightly.

"Be careful, kid," the twenty one year-old answered gruffly. "You know we'll be here in a jiffy if any of those Deatheaters that you told us about are around."

"Shh....I know I can always count on you, but this isn't your battle," she told him. "I hope it doesn't come to that." He answered her by ruffling her hair and kissing her on the forehead.

"Be good."

"I should say that to you," she grinned cheekily at her adventurous cousin.

Finally she turned to Donovan, not really sure why this goodbye was the hardest. He pulled her into a hug and looked down at her. Thomas' best friend had become _her_ constant companion and confidant over the past few months. He repeated the same conversation they'd been having for the last two weeks.

"I meant what I said. If you change your mind, there will always be a place in our coven for you," he reminded her looking at her intently.

"This is where I belong, where I have to be," she answered. "I'll see you again, though. I've just found this part of my family and I'm not giving them up. Take care of yourself, Donovan." She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, waved once more at her cousins, and walked towards the Hogswarts Express. They were going to _apparate_ home once they'd seen her off.

She'd only taken a couple of steps when she felt a hand on her arm unexpectedly swing her around. Suddenly Donovan's mouth was on hers, kissing her with a ferocity that she wasn't expecting. She stiffened in surprise for an instant, _but he's just a friend!_, before yielding to the intensity of the kiss. She found herself kissing him back, her mind going hazy for an instant. _Wow_, she thought, _I haven't kissed anyone like this since Draco. _That thought quickly sobered her and she broke the kiss. Slightly out of breath, she took a step back from the man, and looked at him with wide brown eyes.

"There will also be a place in my heart, Hermione," he told her with a sincere, yet satisfied male smile.

Hermione touched her lip and looked at him a little a little bemusedly. The train's whistle blew again, breaking her out of her reverie. With a last look at the dark haired man, she quickly turned toward the train. What she saw made her gasp.

Standing in the doorway of the train was none other than Draco Malfoy. He was staring at her with a completely unreadable expression on his face. She hadn't seen him in five months or talked to him since that morning in the Transfiguration classroom. Her eyes roamed his face and long lean body hungrily. Even with everything that had passed between them in sixth year, she had still thought of him all summer. The kiss with Donovan fled her mind, washed away in the rush of emotions that went through her at the sight of _her Draco_.

Her already erratic pulse jumped even more. Gathering her scattered wits, she hurried onto the train. By the time she reached the door, he was already gone. _Damn him,_ she thought, _he can still make me feel like this._ Just a tad unsteady, she went in search of her friends.


	10. Two Heads Aren't Better Than One

Chapter 10 Two Heads Aren't Better Than One

_Last Chapter: The kiss with Donovan fled her mind, washed away in the rush of emotions that went through her at the sight of Draco. Her already erratic pulse jumped even more. Gathering her scattered wits, she hurried onto the train. By the time she reached the door, he was already gone. Damn him, she thought, he can still make me feel like this. Just a tad unsteady, she went in search of her friends._

The brown eyed witch had regained her composure by the time she found her friends in one of the compartments. Luna was also there, comfortably leaning against Ron's side. Raising her eyebrows at him, Hermione greeted the Ravenclaw in a friendly manner. Ron looked at her sheepishly, as though unsure of her reaction. Apparently he and Luna had started dating during the end of last school year. Hermione just smiled and nodded at Ron, happy that he had found someone. He gave a grin, relieved that she was fine with the relationship.

Hermione was eager to hear how they had been. They told her about the end of the school year and what they had done over the summer in England. She was proud that Harry and Ron had destroyed two horcruxes, and she praised them saying that she always knew they could accomplish anything if they worked at it. They groaned when she said that now she didn't have to help them with homework so much. There was so much to share, but they knew they had time now that they were back together.

One of the first things her friends offered were their condolences about her parents. It was a little awkward, as they hadn't seen her in the intervening time, but Hermione was still very thankful for their show of love. She was able to tell them honestly that while she missed her Mum and Dad terribly, she wanted to concentrate on the good memories that she had of them instead of the method of their deaths. She had been working through her grief during the months while she was gone. The other four understood and allowed her to change the subject.

She told them about her newly found wizarding relatives. When her uncle was nine and her mother was just an infant, Hermione's grandfather who was an Oxford don, moved his family the the states for a few years to complete a project at Harvard University. It was while in Massachusetts, that Ethan came into his magical powers. He was invited to attend an American wizarding school, much like they had been selected for Hogwarts. When his family returned to England, Ethan stayed at the school except to visit home during holidays and vacations. He had chosen to remain a part of the American wizarding society after graduation and had stayed there ever since. His wife, her Aunt Eva, was a pureblood from Boston, though it didn't matter as much in the States. Over there magical strength and knowledge meant more than blood status.

"So my mother never even knew he was a wizard. She was only about eight when he stopped coming home," Hermione told them. "Uncle Ethan researched our family tree and couldn't find anyone else with any powers. So I'm still a muggleborn, there just happens to be two wizards in my family."

She went on to tell them about living with the Langstroms. Her aunt was a kind hearted woman, not unlike Mrs. Weasley. She doled out scolds and hugs in equal measure. She was a healer of magical creatures. Hermione told them about her cousins, who both took classes at the Wizarding University where Uncle Ethan was a potions master. Melissa was an apprentice mediwitch, while Thomas was working to be a blue robe, the American equivalent of an Auror. She smiled as she spoke of Donovan, who had just started to work as a cursebreaker. All of them had taken her under their collective wing and helped her get through the months. Her uncle had let her assist him with his classes, her aunt had given her a shoulder to cry on, and the three younger folk had filled up all of her free time. She found that she had fit in well with her cousins' older crowd of friends.

"Wow, Mione," Ginny focusing on one part of the narrative. "What's going on with that Donovan guy? That kiss was hot! He is some serious eye candy!"

"Hey!" complained Harry. "Boyfriend is right here, you know!" Ginny just rolled her eyes and laughed at him. Hermione just blushed.

"I don't know," she mused, "He's never done that before. He's just trying to get me to join their coven."

"What's a coven?" Ron asked indignantly as his face turned red. "It's not some kinky sex group, is it?"

"Gross Ron!" Hermione laughed. "For you information, it's an American wizarding thing. A group of witches and wizards bond their magic so that they can cast stronger spells by working together. The coven members usually have strong emotional ties to each other, though it doesn't have to be romantic. Donovan, Melissa, and Thomas are forming their own coven. It's really a beautiful thing to see a coven working together. My aunt and uncle have been in the same coven for years and years."

"I've heard of covens," Luna put in. "They can really be quite powerful. My dad interviewed a coven of five that single-handedly saved an American town from being over run by flying hairy vildeborgs. Really, it was quite amazing!" Ginny rolled her eyes again, but Hermione just looked fondly at the blonde girl. _I've missed her too._

"So he wants you to be part of their coven," said Harry. "Is that what you want, Hermione?" He sounded a bit worried about her answer. The other two girls and Ron seemed to be awaiting her response as well.

"No, Harry, I told him that I'm an English witch and we didn't do things quite that way," she replied honestly. "Besides, if we did, I think I already have a coven." She looked meaningfully at all of the others seated around her. They smiled at her, understanding exactly what she meant.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Their conversation was interrupted by a second year student poking his head in the door and saying, "Is Hermione Granger in here? She's wanted in the Head's Compartment."

"That's me. Thanks, I'm coming," answered Hermione. She stood up as the boy wandered out again and realized that everyone was looking at her strangely. "I forgot," she mumbled, "but I'm Head Girl this year!"

"Why would they pick you?" Harry asked her in a confused voice, when everyone else congratulated her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said, hurt that her best friend wasn't excited for her.

"Nice comment, Harry," said Ginny poking him in the ribs.

He blushed and explained, "I didn't mean it that way! I know you'll be fantastic, but I didn't think you could be picked since you didn't finish last year."

"Dumbledore wrote that the grades that I had when I left, plus the all the extra credit assignments that I had already completed were enough to pass me for last year. When they added in my extra classes from third year, I was still at the top of the class. The letter said that while it was an unusual decision, it was backed by a majority of the professors." Hermione explained.

"Where's your badge?" asked Ginny. "Can I see it?"

"They didn't send it. I'm supposed to get it today," Hermione shrugged. "I'll show you later."

"Well, I think it's wonderful," said Luna dreamily. "I'm going to make you a special wall hanging so that the snilty gulliwinks don't infest your Head Girl Room."

"Thanks, Luna," Hermione laughed as she headed out the door to the Head's Compartment.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Hermione entered the first compartment of the train, she was welcomed warmly by Professor McGonagall. Hermione impulsively hugged the older witch, glad to see her mentor again. With a smile gracing her usually stern face, the elder witch indicated that Hermione should sit.

"Miss Granger, I am so relieved that you decided to come back to Hogwarts. None of us would have blamed you, but it would have been a great loss to us if you had chosen not to return. You are perfectly safe now. As you know, Theodore Nott's father has been sent to Azkaban for your parent's death. Both Theodore and Blaise Zabini have been expelled. Three of the others have graduated and are no longer at Hogwarts. The only students that remain, who know the full story, are Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. They will say nothing of it to anyone."

Hermione nodded her head in understanding, feeling a pain in her heart at the mention of her parents.

"Now about the Head Girl Position. I know you are fully capable of performing the role and hope you will take it upon yourself to do the job. In this instance, I wanted to speak to you before you officially accept the position," the head of Gryffindor looked at her solemnly. "Contrary to what many students believe, we professors are not always blind to what goes on in the school. You have been through so much and I do not want to be the one to add to your pain. However, this has to do with your relationship with Mr. Malfoy."

Hermione's face burned with embarrassment. She hadn't realized that the staff knew about the original fiasco with Draco. "Professor, I-" she stammered.

"Hear me out, Hermione," McGonagall continued. "If you choose to keep the Head Girl Position, you will need to put that situation behind you and work with him ..."

_Merlin, she's not saying what I think she's saying_, thought Hermione, paling where she had been bright red before.

"...as Draco Malfoy is this year's Head Boy. For reasons that I can't discuss right now, it is necessary for him to retain this position. Professor Snape is currently talking to him about how he is expected to act towards the Head Girl. He has already chosen to accept his post, so it is up to you to decide if you can work with him civilly. Do you need some time to think about it? I must know by the time we reach the school, so that the announcement can be made at the feast."

_They think I hate him, that it'll be hard to be civil to him_, she thought with irony. _They don't know it's almost the exact opposite. How am I going be with him all the time and not fall in love with him again?_

"Professor, does Dra-... Malfoy know that I'm supposed to be Head Girl?" she asked.

"No, he doesn't,Miss Granger; we wanted to hear your decision before he was notified."

Hermione took a deep breath and then let it out. "I can do it, Professor McGonagall. I was put into Gryffindor for a reason, and I won't give up this opportunity because I can't deal with Malfoy. I'll be civil, so long as he can do the same."

The professor looked at her protege and smiled again. "I'm proud of you, Hermione. Know that I will support you if you need any assistance in dealing with Mr. Malfoy. Don't hesitate to come to me if you need it. I'll have Professor Snape send him in. Do you wish me to stay?"

"No thank you, Professor. I'm going to have to deal with him on my own for the whole year, so I might as well start now," Hermione assured her solemnly.

McGonagall nodded briskly and then reached into a bag that was on the bench nearest to her. She handed Hermione the Head Girl Badge, watched her pin it onto the front of her robes, then turned and left the compartment.

Hermione jumped up and began smoothing her hair and checking her robes to see if they were falling just right. Then she stopped abruptly. _Idiot,_ she told herself, _I'm trying not to attract him. _Taking a few deep breaths to ready herself, she turned to face the door. The door handle rattled before slowly starting to open. _Calm down...calm down...calm down_, she chanted to herself as she schooled her face into a neutral expression.

The door opened completely to reveal Draco Malfoy. He was saying, "So who have they matched me up wi-" His voice cut off when he caught sight of her and his eyes widened. "Hermione?" he asked incredulously. As if realizing that he was showing too much emotion, he quickly wiped all expression off of his face.

"Hello Malfoy. I'd prefer if you called me Granger," she managed in an amazingly steady voice. "I guess we'll be working together this year."


	11. What I Want

Chapter 11 What I Want

_Last Chapter: __His voice cut off when he caught sight of her and his eyes widened. "Hermione?" he asked incredulously. As if realizing that he was showing too much emotion, he quickly wiped all expression off of his face. "Hello Malfoy. I'd prefer if you called me Granger," she managed in an amazingly steady voice. "I guess we'll be working together this year."_

At the welcoming feast, Hermione was greeted with genuine affection by all of her housemates and many of the students from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. A couple of the braver second year Slytherins, whom she had tutored the year before, even came up to her to say hello. As the new first years were sorted and Dumbledore gave his usual opening speech, her mind wandered back to the conversation that that occurred on the train in the Heads' Compartment.

_Draco hadn't said anything for a long moment after her initial comment; he just looked at her with that unreadable expression. After clearing his throat, he finally answered, "Fine, Granger," emphasizing her last name, "if that's what you really want."_

"_It is. Look, Malfoy," Hermione addressed him in a serious tone. "We're going to be thrown together a lot this year since we're the Heads. I want to set down some ground rules before we start." She hesitated then continued firmly, "Whatever happened between us last year is over and I want to be professional about things now."_

_Draco looked at her steadily and asked in a neutral voice, "What do want us to do?"_

"_First, you need to treat me respectfully and I'll treat you the same. We're the top two students in the school and we can be civil to each other."_

_Draco nodded his head but stayed silent. Hermione took that as agreement and nodded back before continuing.  
_

"_Second, I'll work with you on whatever projects that we are given, but that's it. Know that we are not friends. No touching, no kissing, " she turned pink at this, " and no asking about personal stuff: nothing that doesn't have to do with our shared duties. You and I have to work together but outside of that I want you to stay away from me._

_Draco had noticed her blush, but chose not to mention it. He said instead, "That's going to be a bit hard since we'll be sharing quarters."_

Back at the feast, Hermione mentally berated herself again for having forgotten that fact. She had told Draco that it didn't matter as long has he stuck to the rules. She'd left him then to rejoin her friends. She had avoided telling them who was Head boy, knowing there would be some loud reactions. She'd used the rest of the train ride to mull over this new development in her life.

She'd remembered Melissa's sage advice, "_Don't let him know how you feel until you're sure how he feels. Otherwise, he'll have all the power in the relationship."_ That's exactly what she was going to do.

She looked over at the blond Slytherin at his table, taking note of the differences that five months had wrought in him. Physically he didn't seem to have changed drastically; he was as handsome as he had been when she had last seen him. He looked tired and there was a tightness about his eyes that hadn't been there before. He had a somber expression on his face and seemed to have lost his infamous smirk. When one of the sixth years made a joke that had everyone else in hysterics, he simply gave a quick small smile that didn't seem to reach his eyes. He was sitting rigidly, as if on guard and he seemed to be older than his seventeen years. Hermione changed her earlier thought. He didn't just look tired, he looked drained. She had wondered what had happened to him that made him look so austere and so very alone.

As the meal came to a close, Dumbledore called for their attention once more. He stood up and announced, "Before you go off to your common rooms, I wanted to introduce our new student Heads for the year. Please stand Head Girl, Hermione Granger." The Gryffindors cheered and hooted when Hermione stood and gave everyone a general wave. When she sat down again the Headmaster continued, "Also, please stand Head Boy, Draco Malfoy."

There was dead silence for a few seconds from three of the houses when Draco stood. The Slytherins cheered loudly and eventually the other houses joined in with some polite applause. Draco gave a short nod and then sat again.

"How the hell did that happen, Mione? Why didn't you tell us on the train that ferret was Head Boy?" Ron demanded.

"I just needed to think about it for a while, Ron. Don't worry. It'll be okay. Malfoy and I set down some rules and we're going to be professionals about it."

"You just be careful. If that git does anything to hurt you, Harry and I'll take care of him!" Ron declared staunchly looking at Harry for confirmation.

"That's right, Hermione. We'll be here if you need us," Harry looked at Hermione with compassionate eyes. He had always understood her a little bit better than Ron and knew it wasn't physical danger that was the problem.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione and Draco followed Professor Dumbledore down the fourth floor hallway to a portrait of a man and woman sitting on a bench in a garden. He greeted the couple and gestured to the students introducing them.

He turned to the young people and said, "This is the entrance to your new common room. The password is fated to be_."_

"It's fated to be what?" Draco asked Dumbledore.

"No, Mr. Malfoy, the password is the phrase: _fated to be,"_ Dumbledore clarified with a twinke in his eye. Then he continued, "The fireplace in your common room is attached to the school's internal Floo system. You may use it to contact any teacher in the school, though it is not a part of the regular Floo system. I trust you will use it judiciously. The school elves have already brought your things to your respective rooms, so I'll leave you here to explore. Good night." The wizard turned and left them in front of the portrait.

Hermione smiled at the two people in the picture and said, "Fated to be."

The couple smiled back and the frame swung forward granting them entrance to the room. Hermione hurried into the room curious to see what it looked like. Draco followed more slowly.

Their common room was about half the size of the Gryffindor common room. It was decorated in warm earthy tones. To the right, a comfortable looking couch and two oversized chairs were grouped together around a coffee table near the large fireplace. A plush rug acted as protection against the chill of the castle's stone floors. There were two large bookshelves flanking a tall window centered along the left wall dressed with rich brown colored drapes. Perpendicular to the window was a large partners desk, which had a two throne-like chairs with green and red cushions, respectively. On the back of the red chair, Hermione recognized her book bag and assumed the one on the other chair opposite belonged to Draco.

_I love this room,_ she thought running her hands along the books on the shelf by her side of the desk. _Too bad I won't be using this desk. There's no way I'm sitting across from Draco every night to study!_

Along the far wall were two doors, obviously leading to the bedrooms. Hermione looked into the one closest to the desk and found her belongings had been placed within. It wasn't overly large but after sharing with two other girls, no matter how close they were, the privacy would be welcome. She looked at the four poster bed against the right wall. It was queen sized instead of the usual twin. She loved the hangings and bedding, which were a sophisticated combination of cream and gold. To the left was a wardrobe and a chair also in cream bracketing her private bathroom. She saw with a quick look that it was rather utilitarian though it had the advantage of having a separate shower stall.

On the far wall of the bedroom, in lieu of a window was a pair of French doors framed by cream curtains that matched the bed hangings. She walked out the door and was amazed to see a balcony with two lounge chairs and a small bistro set. It would be a perfect place for a morning cup of coffee or to read a book on during a sunny day. Hermione noticed another set of French Doors on the other end of the balcony. She assumed they led to Draco's room. _Is that a good thing or a bad thing_? she wondered.

When she returned to her room, she found gray eyes watching her solemnly. Draco was standing in the doorway from the common room. Her heart sped up as she looked at him. _He's got to stop doing that to me, _she thought. Neither of them moved for a minute as they stared at each other.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione asked him without any animosity.

"I don't know," Draco just shrugged his shoulder. "I just wanted to talk with you."

"You shouldn't be in my room. We talked about this on the train and you agreed," she said quietly.

"I agreed to be _civil, _but is that enough for you?" he asked just as quietly.

"It's going to have to be," the brown eyed girl said firmly. "I don't know you. Whatever we _had_ was a big fat lie."

"It wasn't all a lie," Draco told her. He rubbed his face and looked at her pained eyes.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? How am I supposed to tell the difference between the truth and the lies? I don't know how to do that. I used to think I did, but you screwed me up," she said angrily.

"You didn't seem so screwed up when you were snogging that bloke at King's Cross!" he said fiercely.

"Shut up. You don't get to say anything about whom I kiss," she retorted. "You lost any right to that last year. It's none of your business."

"Hermione-" Draco started.

"It's Granger, damn it! Only my friends get to call me Hermione. You've never been that," she snapped.

"Real mature _Hermione_," Draco took a deep breath, visibly calming himself. "Look, I don't want to fight. I'm trying to make a truce."

At his words, Hermione became livid. She spat,"You have got to be fucking kidding me! Do you recall the last time we had a _truce_?"

"All right, bad choice of words. I just want to-" Draco began.

"It's always about what you want," interrupted the girl. "This time I told you what I want, what I _need_ to make this work."

"I just want to-" he tried again.

"I can't do this tonight. Get out. Just leave me alone." Hermione hated the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

Draco looked at her like he wanted to keep going, but instead he just shook his head wearily and left the room.

Hermione closed the door after him and used her wand to cast locking and silencing spells. She undressed for bed quickly, then walked to her trunk and took out a small box. Opening it, she looked for a long time at the bracelet that Draco had given her last Christmas. Though it was supposed to be a fresh start, Hermione cried herself to sleep on her first night back at Hogwarts.


	12. That's Not What I Expected

Chapter 12 That's Not What I Expected

_Last Chapter: __Hermione closed her door after him and used her wand to cast locking and silencing spells. She undressed for bed quickly, then walked to her trunk and took out a small box. Opening it, she looked for a long time at the bracelet that Draco had given her last Christmas. Though it was supposed to be a fresh start, Hermione cried herself to sleep her first night back at Hogwarts._

Hermione was amazed at how smoothly the start of the year went, in spite of her words with Draco on the first night. The first prefect meeting that they ran on the second evening seemed to set the tone for the next couple of weeks. The two of them spoke to each other distantly but politely, efficiently moving down the agenda that Dumbledore had given them to cover. She had almost forgotten how intelligent Draco really was. He thought quickly on his feet and answered all questions that the prefects asked in a logical way. Hermione had been interested in how he was going to respond to being in a position of power. She had supposed that he would use his authority to force his own ideas to be acted upon. However, to her surprise he actually listened to the suggestions of the others and gave them due consideration.

As to their living together, Hermione had fallen into a pattern of avoidance. She had always been an early riser, so she was dressed and out of their suite before Draco had even emerged from his room. She spent many of her free hours in the Gryffindor Common room, the library, or sitting down by the lake under her favorite tree. She made use of her own common room at times when she knew Draco would be absent: such as during quidditch practice and when he had rounds. If he did come in, Hermione would beat a hasty retreat to the privacy of her room.

One benefit of being Heads was that they only had to patrol once a week, since they were allowed to delegate that particular chore to the prefects. Hermione had straight out refused to do rounds on the same night as Draco, so tonight while he was out roaming the hallways, she was in their common room. It had been a long day for her starting with classes, Head duties and then tutoring with the younger years in the library. She had already tackled her own homework and was stretched out on the couch not doing anything but enjoying the fire.

She found her thoughts coming back to the Head Boy and for once didn't try to fight them back. She let herself have a daydream about what it would have been like if the events at dance hadn't happened the way they had. _Draco would really love me and he would tell the school to deal with it or go to hell. Then we'd dance and he'd hold me close. Everyone would see how in love we are and they'd be happy for us. Mum and Dad would be alive... and would help us plan a future together._

Hermione let her fantasy play out in her mind. Her chest felt a little tight because her heart truly did know it wasn't real, but for a few moments she got to pretend that Draco returned her feelings. Remembering long heated kisses, slightly calloused hands moving over her, and the way his body felt on hers, Hermione ran her hands sensuously over her body echoing the memories. She brought herself to a silent climax with visions of Draco in her head. _I still love him _was her last drowsy thought before she drifted off to sleep.

When Draco returned from doing his rounds, he noticed the Head Girl on the couch asleep immediately. He walked over to the couch and stared down at the girl for a long time with a pensive look on his face. If anyone had told him at this time last year that Hermione Granger would be on his mind so often, he would have laughed in their face. He rubbed his left forearm absentmindedly through his shirt, thinking how everything had changed. He knew that she avoided him on purpose, and didn't really blame her. He thought it just might be best if he just let her do it. It would make what he had to do that much easier. He wasn't free to be with her or anyone right now.

Draco went to his room and brought out one of the blankets from his bed. Being careful not to wake her, he gently covered Hermione with it. He leaned down and breathed in her scent without touching her. After one long look, he turned and resolutely strode to his bedroom warding his door behind him. He didn't hear as Hermione, still asleep, snuggled deeper into the blanket and murmured, "Draco."

~*~*~*~*~*~

When the witch awoke the next morning, she realized that she wasn't in her room immediately. _ I must have been more tired than I had thought. _ She looked down at the green blanket, knowing that Draco was the only one who could have covered her up. If anyone else had done something as nice to her, she would have thanked him right away. She knew though that she wouldn't mention it to Draco. Folding the blanket, she inhaled the scent of Draco, and then left it on one of the chairs_._ She sighed unhappily at how things had to be between them, and got up to face another day.

This morning her first class after breakfast was double potions with Slytherin. Professor Snape was just as arrogant and sarcastic as he had been last year. If Harry and Ron hadn't told her how much help he had secretly given to them on the horcrux hunt, she would have believed he hated all Gryffindors with a passion. He still took great delight in assigning detentions and taking points during the class.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione walked into the dungeon classroom. The boys took a desk near the back and she slid into the seat behind them, next to Neville, giving him a reassuring look. She had promised to help him with his potions this year. He was so in terror of Snape, that he wouldn't even have taken Potions at all this year, but he needed it if he wanted to go into a career in herbology. In the wizarding world, herbology was naturally connected to potions making.

Snape stalked into the potions classroom and the students fell silent. With a wave of his wand, the words "Parilis Recordatio" appeared on the board. He turned to face the class and began to speak in his normal condescending voice.

"This year, as NEWTS level potions students, you will be required to make a series of potions that require special brewing techniques, though some of you can't even create the regular potions," He sneered dismissively at Neville before continuing, "The Parilis Recordatio, when made correctly, will allow two people who drink it simultaneously to re-experience their strongest shared memory. However, when brewed, it must not touch the cauldron that it is being made in or the bottle in which it is stored. In order for it to be fully potent, it must not touch anything except for the people who it is intended for. Any contact with other materials will render it useless. You probably won't be able to actually brew it until the end of the week. Your assignment for today is just to figure out a method to brew the potion without it becoming contaminated. You may use these references." He waved his wand again and stacks of books appeared on a table at the side of the room.

When he caught Neville looking hopefully at Hermione for assistance, he glared at the boy before yelling, "Longbottom, Miss Granger is not to assist you with this task. Move yourself immediately to the empty seat next to Mr. Finnegan!" His face falling, Neville went to join Seamus.

Though she gave him a regretful shrug, Hermione didn't mind that she had to work by herself. It gave her some thinking time. The rest of the students started looking through their text book and the books on the table for possible brewing methods. Hermione prepared her cauldron and then measured and chopped ingredients, while she watched Draco. He sat on the other side of the room intent upon his assignment. He was looking through one of the books, and had a frown of concentration on his face. One hand was busy taking notes, while the other occasionally brushed his hair out of his eyes in between flipping pages. _He still looks so troubled, _she thought, _What's going on in that head of his?_

The young witch began brewing the potion, while keeping an eye on the Head Boy. She was too busy splitting her attention between her cauldron and the blond Slytherin that she didn't realize Snape had come up behind her.

"Miss Granger," Snape barked startling her. "Just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded dangerously.

"Sir, I'm making the Parilis Recordatio potion," she answered politely. She didn't want house points taken off by the unpredictable man.

"Were you not paying attention?" he asked snidely. "I told you that the potion would be useless if it touched your cauldron!"

"Professor, I already took care of that," Hermione answered in a less polite voice. _Really, does he think I'm an idiot? s_he thought annoyed. She noticed the other students watching the scene unfold.

"Indeed? I saw you make no effort to look up the correct procedures," he declared in the deceptively silky voice he used right before he verbally blasted a student. "I expect better effort and attention from the Head Girl, Miss Granger!"

"But I cast _D__iscidium Obex _before adding any ingredients!" She indignantly cried, stung at his unfair assessment. "I'm sure that it worked correctly! I'm going to cast it on the bottles, also."

Snape opened his mouth and then snapped it shut. He waved his wand over her cauldron, muttered an incantation, and then peered at the contents. Whatever he saw made him look at her intently.

"Where did you learn _D__iscidium Obex, _Miss Granger?" he asked without a trace of a sneer. "That particular spell isn't in these books. It isn't even taught at this level."

"My uncle is a Potions Master at an American University. He allowed me to assist him over the summer, Professor," Hermione responded.

Snape looked at Hermione with a strange expression. Then to the horror of most of the Slytherins and the amazement of the Gryffindors, he said in an almost civil voice, "Ten points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger."

She stared at him incredulously. In all her time at Hogwarts, he had never awarded her any points, much less spoke to her nicely. When Snape turned, he saw the rest of the students looking at him with open mouths. Instantly putting a scowl back on his face, he thundered, "What are you looking at. Get to work!"

He stalked back to his desk muttering all the while about master's level spells and know-it-all witches. She brushed aside thoughts of Snapes out-of-character actions, and got to work finishing the potion. However, when Hermione brought up her finished potion samples, she got another unexpected shock. Looking into the potion master's dark eyes, she saw something she had never expected to see. He was looking at her with pride.

"Miss Granger, the Headmaster would like to see you at this time. You are excused for the remainder of the class to meet with him." He glanced around sternly to make sure the other seventh years were engrossed in their tasks before continuing in a low voice, "I would like to speak to you privately about what else you have learned about potions in your time away. I suspect this class may be beneath your abilities. I shall have to assign you an independent study."

Hermione looked at him in amazement and just nodded. He motioned her to get going and she hurried from the room. She didn't notice that a certain pair of silver eyes watched her leave.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Entering the Headmaster's office, she was startled to see Kingsley Shacklebolt sitting in a chair by his desk. She had a sudden flashback to the night that she had left Hogwarts last spring. Her alarm must have shown on her face, because Kingsley looked at her sympathetically and Dumbledore was quick to assuage her fears.

"Miss Granger, no need to fear. Everything is fine," the older wizard stated. "Kingsley simply wanted to discuss the possibility of you doing some training with his aurors."

"What do you mean, Sir? I'm not even done with school. Why would you want me to do auror training now?" Hermione asked in a bewildered voice, addressing the last question directly to Kingsley.

"You misunderstand, Hermione," Shacklebolt explained to her. "I would like you to _train_ some of my aurors in the use of your particular spell casting style. We've been using your penseive as a demonstration, but many of the aurors can't quite get the hang of how you did it."

Hermione looked at him, disbelief and embarrassment on her features. "_Aurors _ have seen my memory? Did they see the whole thing?" She was thinking about what happened with Draco.

"Yes, Hermione, and they are quite impressed at your abilities," he replied, completely missing the reason for her discomfort." If you'll agree, you'll work with a few of the more successful aurors and teach them how to do...whatever you call the technique. Once they have it down pat, then they can teach the others."

"I call it _spellsinging_ and I'd like to help, if the Headmaster agrees. I don't have too much free time with all my classes and duties," the young witch answered looking at Dumbledore for guidance.

"Miss Granger, I think we can spare you twice a week. You can go during the time where you would normally take double potions. I believe Professor Snape will let you go, as you'll be doing an independent study course," the headmaster stated with a twinkle in his eyes.

_How did he know that? It only happened ten minutes ago,_ the girl wondered. Dumbledore just smiled at her as if he knew what she was thinking.

"That settles it," Kingsley interrupted her thoughts. "I'll send an auror to bring you to the Ministry on the days that you can come. Thank you, Hermione, we really need you to do this."

********

Author's Note: I have never taken Latin so ended up using an online English-Latin translator to find one-to-one word meanings. Sorry if wording or tenses aren't correct for the following:

Parilis Recordatio - Similar Recollection

Discidium Obex - Separation Barrier_  
_


	13. Learning New Things

Chapter 13 Learning New Things

_Last Chapter: "Miss Granger, I think we can spare you twice a week. You can go during the time where you would normally take double potions. I believe Professor Snape will let you go, as you'll be doing an independent study course," the headmaster stated with a twinkle in his eyes. How did he know that? It only happened ten minutes ago, the girl wondered. Dumbledore just smiled at her as if he knew what she was thinking. "That settles it," Kingsley interrupted her thoughts. "I'll send an auror to bring you to the Ministry on the days that you can come. Thank you, Hermione, we really need you to do this."_

It was late November already and Hermione had really made progress with her two new endeavors. Potions was going splendidly. Snape had outlined a specific course of study for her, which she worked on at the back of the class during the regular NEWTS potion periods. Though he didn't award her any house points again, neither did he subject her to the usual diatribes that the other Gryffindors regularly received. He pretty much left her alone, unless she had a question or he needed to check her potions. Her friends were a bit jealous of the arrangement, until she showed them the list of potions that she was responsible for making. They quickly changed their minds about wanting to be in back with her.

Ron summed it all up by saying, "Hell, I'd rather be yelled at by the greasy old bat, than have to make a potion with twenty-three different ingredients and forty-seven different steps!"

When her friends had pressed her, Hermione had to explain her disappearances every Tuesday and Friday from double potions. She decided that she didn't want to lie to them again. She ended up telling her year mates about the confrontation with the Slytherins. She didn't tell them about what had passed between Draco and herself, except to say that he didn't try to hex or harm her. As expected, they were angry that she hadn't told them when it had happened. Once they'd calmed down, though, they forgave her when she explained her original reasoning. Now they understood some things which had confused them last spring, such as the Slytherin's forfeiture of the last quidditch game for the House Cup.

The boys, of course, immediately wanted to plot revenge but Hermione quickly nipped that idea in the bud. She soberly told them that there was no point. The main culprits were Nott and Zabini, who were gone. Flint, Pucey and Bletchley had graduated and were also gone. Dumbledore had explained what had happened when the Slytherins were confronted by Snape and what their punishments had been. She was satisfied.

"But what about Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle?" demanded Ron.

"Ron, just let it go. Malfoy didn't actually _do _anything during the fight and Crabbe and Goyle just follow whatever everyone else does. I'm not after them and I don't want you to be either. If you haven't noticed, none of them have said or done anything bad to any of us this year. I still have to work with Malfoy and he is keeping himself civil."

"Fine, though Malfoy always will be a git!" he grumbled. He did snicker before adding, "and Goyle is as dumb as those rocks he keeps lugging around! At least we know why he does it now."

"Crabbe is just a goon too," added Harry. "I say as long as they leave us alone, I'm willing to do the same.

The girls, of course, picked up on what Hermione had said about Draco. Dragging her away from the boys, they badgered her until she told them the _whole_ tale. Ginny joined them as she was confessing about the kiss in the Transfiguration classroom. The other girls agreed that the Slytherin must have some feelings for her, but was too screwed up by the pureblood thing to do anything about it. The four discussed all the nuances of his behavior and possible interpretations. _I should have just told them last spring_, thought Hermione, _they are so good with this stuff! _Then the girls talked about how Draco was acting this year. Hermione was glad to reestablish her tie with these friends. She had missed them. Lavender was disappointed to hear that there was no secret reconciliation going on behind the closed doors of the Heads' dormitory. Ginny and Parvati threw pillows at her. Hermione just said quietly that it wasn't likely to happen.

~*~*~*~*~*

The actual auror training was a whole adventure in itself. Hermione was working with about a dozen different aurors, that had been most successful with _spellsinging_. It was a bit awkward at first as she was their junior by many years, but her natural sweetness and steel backbone quickly won them over to her side. It helped that she had a couple of staunch allies from the start. Hermione remembered her first trip to the Ministry just eight weeks ago.

_She was waiting in the front hall of the school for the auror who was supposed apparate with her to the Ministry. The front doors opened, and in strode a familiar figure with bubblegum pink hair._

"_Wotcher, Hermione," greeted a clearly pregnant Tonks, "Are you ready to go to the Ministry? "_

"_Tonks! You're having a baby! When did that happen?" Hermione said in a rush. "I'm so glad it's you. I've been a bit nervous about this whole thing ever since since Kingsley asked me to help train you guys. I mean you're the professionals and I'm just a kid."_

"_Yes, I am and I'm due in December. Don't worry, duck, everyone will welcome you once they meet you. You're not just a kid. You're a smart and powerful witch," Tonks said cheerfully responding to all of Hermione's remarks. "Your methods could really help us. Come on, let's go out the gates so that we can apparate. I'm on light duty, so I can be with you and answer all your questions."_

_Once at the Ministry, Hermione was issued a visitors pass and Tonks guided her to the auror offices. Kingsley came to greet her and the three of them went to a large warehouse type room with a conference table and lounge area at one end. The rest of the room was empty of furniture, though there were some odd structures scattered around. There were an assortment of men and women in the room. A few seated at the conference table going over papers and the rest were spaced about the room. They were practicing offensive and defensive spells singly, in pairs or in small groups. None of them appeared to take notice of the newcomers._

"_This is our in-house training area," Kingsley told Hermione proudly. "The floor, ceiling and walls are designed to absorb spells so they can't break through to damage other parts of the Ministry. This way, aurors have a private place to work on their skills while here. We do have practice areas outside and do send teams out on 'live' practice missions, but this works best during a normal workday."_

_Suddenly a shout of "Head's up, kid" startled Hermione and she spun around. A blue jet of light was shooting her way._

_Whipping up her wand, she sang, "Speculum Contego – Incarcerous." When the blue light was about ten centimeters from her body there was a silver shower of sparks, and the blue light rebounded in the direction from which it came. It hit a young auror, who looked to be about twenty years old. His skin turned blue and his brown hair became a vibrant orange. A length of rope suddenly sprouted on his chest and wound itself tightly around him, causing him to fall to the ground._

_Kingsley looked at Hermione in satisfaction, while around them the aurors were suddenly paying close attention. Some of them were looking at Hermione contemplatively, though others still seemed a bit nonplussed._

_Tonks glanced at the girl approvingly, "Nice block Hermione! Sorry, it's an old tradition – get the newbie. Last new person tries to catch the newest one off guard on their first day. I didn't expect anyone to try it on you, though...Brocklehurst, you nitwit, she's a visitor, not a newbie." _

_He looked up and answered sheepishly, "Hey, how was I supposed to know? Only aurors in training come in here. The guys said a newbie was coming in."_

"_Brocklehurst, they set you up. They probably wanted to see her in action. This is Hermione Granger from Hogwarts."_

_He looked at Hermione and his jaw dropped. "You're the girl from the penseive. You really are fast! I thought that fight was staged like everyone else did." Hermione stiffened at his last statement._

"_Kingsley," she stated quietly, "I thought you said the aurors wanted my help. You didn't say that they thought I faked it."_

_He glared around the room and said, "We do need you. They're just being aurors. It's their nature to be suspicious."_

_The young witch shook her head saying, "My parents died because of that fight and your people are calling me a liar." She turned to the woman who had brought her and asked, "Tonks, can you take me back to school please?"_

"_Hermione," said Shacklebolt putting his hand on her shoulder. "I believe you; Tonks believes you; and Martin and Campbell, the two aurors who questioned the Notts, believe you. The rest wanted some proof, and you just gave it to them. Try to look at it from their perspective. They see a penseive of a sixteen year old witch doing magic in a way that they can't duplicate. It's hard to swallow. Now they see it's real, and will be grateful to you. Please stay."_

_Hermione looked at the aurors and many of them were nodding their heads and smiling at her. She nodded back._

"_Great! Now that that's settled, can someone untie me?" Brocklehurst said from the ground._

Once the aurors had realized she was a serious witch and her _spellsinging_ wasn't some fluke, they treated her respectfully when she was instructing them. Through trial and error, it was found that not everyone could _spellsing_. For some, it was because they weren't powerful enough and others because they couldn't master the energy release patterns that were necessary. Most that could _spellsing_ found it easier to either sing all defensive _or_ all offensive incantations. Only a handful were able cast defensive and offensive spells interchangeably with ease. For those who couldn't master long spell patterns, Hermione taught them to string two spells together for quicker casting. She taught the way she did everything else: thoroughly and to the best of her ability. Her sweet demeaner coupled with her never-give-up attitude quickly won over even the skeptics. The aurors grew to enjoy their lessons with the young witch immensely.

Hermione was learning as much as she was teaching. While she worked with the aurors, they also instructed her. They acted as though she was a younger sister, daughter, or mascot depending upon their stage of life. They taught her auror tricks, strategies, and just told her things about the wizarding world that she didn't know. Though she had lived at Hogwarts for so many years, it _was _still a school. It was sheltered from many of the everyday occurrences in the regular wizarding society. Her quick mind soaked up the information that they gave her like a sponge.

Some of the aurors had even been teaching her hand to hand combat. During one training session, she had been knocked on her arse when one large man was accidentally thrown into her from behind. She didn't stand a chance against the two hundred forty pound body smashing into her. Her new friends thought that her biggest weakness was her small size. Though they knew she could take care of herself magically, they were worried that if she ever lost her wand, an enemy would make short work of her. In spite of, or maybe because it was so different from regular school, Hermione loved _all _the training sessions.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione's relationship with Draco remained fairly neutral during this time period. When they were working together, they took great pains to be polite to each other. Each masked his or her feelings so well, that neither could tell what the other was thinking. Though they shared quarters, they were rarely in them at the same time, except when they were asleep in their own rooms. Hermione even remarked to Ginny one day that it seemed like she and Draco were two trains that passed through the same station on completely different schedules.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Authors Note:

Speculum Contego – Mirror Shield


	14. Wrong About You

Chapter 14 Wrong About You

_Last Chapter: Hermione's relationship with Draco remained fairly neutral during this time period. When they were working together, they took great pains to be polite to each other. Each masked his or her feelings so well, that neither could tell what the other was thinking. Though they shared quarters, they were rarely in them at the same time, except when they were asleep in their own rooms. Hermione even remarked to Ginny one day that it seemed like she and Draco were two trains that passed through the same station on completely different schedules._

The holidays were fast approaching and Hermione was feeling a little depressed and upset. Everything was going great on the surface. Her academics and her relationships with friends were all running smoothly. She was teaching Harry, Ron, Luna, and Ginny how to spellsing and they were having an easier time at it than many aurors. She was busy, productive and looked up to. She had even been asked to "just 'hang out', since it wouldn't be appropriate for me to ask you out until you're done with school and I'm an auror" by Regis Brocklehurst, who was just nineteen and quite good looking now that his skin and hair were no longer blue and orange. There were tons of girls who would love to be in her position. However, the brown haired witch just wasn't happy. _This sucks,_ she thought as she sat on her bed alone in her room.

She suspected that Draco might be seeing some other girl. There were nights, like tonight, when she knew he didn't sleep in the Head Dorm. Though he never brought anyone back to his bedroom, she knew he wasn't always using own bed either. Early some mornings when she thought he hadn't come home, she had stealthily crept across the balcony to peek into his room. His curtains were never drawn, so she saw his bed hadn't been slept in. She hated the thought that he might be sharing Pansy Parkinson's bed.

This thought was the reason that she was up so late, eating ice cream that she had brought up from the kitchens. _Do ice cream trips to the kitchen at three in the morning constitute an abuse of my Head powers?_ she wondered wryly. _Screw it, I need this_.

A couple of thumps and a loud crash from the common room, caught her attention. _Draco is home finally. What is he doing? _Hermione thought. She opened her door and stepped into the common room. She didn't see him immediately and wondered what the crash had been.

She walked over to his bedroom and knocked on the door. "Malfoy?" she called, "Are you all right?"

When she received no answer, she assumed he was ignoring her. Already regretting her impulse to check on him, she decided to return to her own room. A low moan sounded behind her, and she then saw him when she turned toward it.

Draco was laying on his side on the floor between the coffee table and the comfortable chairs. She hadn't noticed him from her doorway as the fireplace provided the only light in the room. She quickly made her way to his side and knelt next to him, shoving back the coffee table.

"Draco?" she questioned softly, "Are you all right?" She put her hands upon his forehead, brushing the hair from his sweaty brow. The boy didn't respond. His eyes were closed and his body was twitching slightly.

Hermione jumped up, ran to her room for her wand and came back to his side. _S_he called out a spell, lighting all the candles in the room simultaneously. Looking at Draco, she could see his face was a grimace of pain. There were bloody scratches on his face and neck. He had blood on his mouth from where he had bitten his lip.

"Oh God, Draco, what happened to you?" she said frantically while running her hands lightly over his face, chest and shoulders. She could see some scratches on his neck, but his body was covered by his clothes. She noticed more blood on his sleeve and pushed it back to see if there was a wound. Her breath hissed out of her, when she saw the Dark Mark etched upon his pale skin. Her mind stopped for an instant, trying to comprehend what she was seeing. _What did you do, Draco? _she thought in anguish.

She jumped up again and grabbed some floo powder. Throwing it into the fireplace she called out, "Dumbledore's quarters."

When the wizard stepped through the fireplace with Madame Pomfrey a few minutes later, Hermione was sitting on the floor holding Draco's head in her lap, stroking his face. She kept saying, "It's going to be okay, Draco" over and over.

When the young witch looked up at the two adults, the tears streaming down her face were proof that she didn't really believe it.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione was sitting on the couch in the common room waiting for Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey to come out of Draco's room. The wizard came out alone and sat down on one of the chairs.

"How's Draco?" she asked as soon as he was settled.

"He's going to be all right. He's suffering the affects of having _crucio_ cast on him numerous times. Madame Pomfrey has given him some healing potions. He'll just need to rest for a day or so to gain back his strength," the headmaster explained.

"What's going to happen to him?" the girl asked him anxiously.

"I'm assuming you saw his Dark Mark, Hermione" he stated. At her nod he continued, "What I'm going to tell you needs to remain confidential for now. You may not tell you friends, not even Harry or Ron."

He waited for the seventh year's nod of agreement then said, "Draco is a member of the Order. He has been spying for us since the summer."

"What?" the shocked girl exclaimed. "How did that happen?"

"I will tell you part of it. If he wishes to share the details, Draco will do so," Dumbledore began. He looked at her seriously and then continued, "When Draco left at the end of last school year, his father forced him to take the Dark Mark. Lucius Malfoy had been falling out of favor with Voldemort because Tom thought Lucius had too much influence over the purebloods. Lucius thought that pledging his only son and heir would earn Tom Riddle's favor again. He was wrong. Voldemort took this as the opportunity to punish Lucius through Draco. He immediately sent Draco on a mission too dangerous for an untried boy. He almost died. If young Draco was not so strong magically, he probably would have. This was the pattern most of the summer, so Draco has been carrying a heavy load."

Dumbledore paused so Hermione could process this information. Then he continued, "When Voldemort set him a task he could not even hope to accomplish, his father finally decided that it was too much. Many things can be said about Lucius Malfoy, but he truly does love his wife and son. He came to me to seek help for his son. He asked for nothing for himself, but was willing to do anything to save Draco's life. In return, Lucius and Draco have been feeding us vital information for months now. They both swore a wizards oath to never betray the Order. We were able to offer Draco as much sanctuary as can be found here at Hogwarts as Head Boy. Because of this status, Lucius was able to convinced Voldemort that Draco is able to get closer to his goal. Voldemort now calls him less often, but there is still not much that we can can do when he does call him."

Hermione was silent for a while, thinking over the information that the wizard had divulged. Finally she asked, "What do you want me to do now?"

"Hermione, I'm going to need you to help care for Draco tomorrow until he is back on his feet. We'll let it be known that you're both doing a special Head project and are excused from classes for the day. After that, I would like you to be his friend. He can't confide in any of his house mates, as their allegiances are suspect. The people who are obviously on the same side, such as Harry, are unapproachable because Draco's alliance with us needs to be secret. He has no one."

"Why me?" the girl asked him. "Surely there are others that you can trust."

"This is such a unique situation, Hermione. We've never had someone so young take on such dangerous tasks, except for you and your friends and we have never asked it of you. You all just seem to find the trouble by yourselves," he said though his eyes had just a bit of humor in them. He continued in his serious tone again, "In Draco's position, we have to let him continue to be called and be assigned tasks. We can't prevent him from doing so without giving away his true loyalty. This is where he will need your support. As Heads, no one questions when you're together. With your shared history and actions towards each other these past few months, no one would suspect that you are on close terms. You're in the perfect position to be his confidante and anchor. Draco is very alone right now. I fear, if he does not have anyone that he can count on, he just may break under the stress."

So many things about these past few months with Draco seemed clearer to Hermione. She looked thoughtfully at the wizard in front of her and nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Hermione," Dumbledore said gravely, though his eyes seemed to twinkle at her through his glasses.

"Professor, what was the task that Draco was given that he couldn't do?" the young witch asked out of curiosity.

"Why, he was supposed to kill _me_."

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Draco awoke sunlight was streaming through the French doors, and he was in his own bed. He felt as if his very bones were aching. Looking at the blue sky outside, he pondered last night. He had been called before the Dark Lord with his father again. He was berated for being a failure for not yet dispensing with Dumbledore. The Dark Lord had been looking at Lucius the entire time. In fact, he didn't even look at Draco until it was time for his "punishment". Lucius had begged for leniency, saying Draco was just a boy, to no avail. Time and again, Draco was cursed with _crucio_ until he was writhing on the floor and clawing at his own skin with the pain. When it finally stopped, he could barely stand on his own. Lucius and Snape supported most of his weight as they left the room. He had a hazy memory of his father and godfather gently pushing him through a fireplace and finding himself alone in Snape's quarters. His father had told him sternly to go back to school and not worry about them. He recalled how hard it was flooing by himself again to the Heads' common room. He couldn't remember actually making it into his room and getting into bed.

He wished he could forget last night. Hell, he wished he could forget the last ten months. His life was absolute shit right now. He didn't know how everything had come to this point. He hadn't had a _good_ moment in such a long time. While he was happy that his father had finally shown his family that they were first in his thoughts, it _sucked_ that it had come only after Draco was almost killed. _If only he could have figured it out before making me get the Dark Mark_, Draco thought bitterly. _Now I'm tied to that freak until one of us dies. _

He was so tired of _everything_. Sometimes, Draco considered killing himself but couldn't do it because of his parents. He knew they loved him and he loved them back. Lucius never said the words, but his actions proved it. He had turned away from the power that he had been pursuing all of his adult life to save his son, and Draco was very aware of that fact. He knew his father wasn't well liked by the other Order members, but put up with a lot of crap form them just so he, Draco, could be safe. His mother, who had never hidden how much she loved and cared for him, would be devastated if he took his own life. She was already a nervous wreck from the current situation. He just couldn't do it to them.

He tried to think of the last time he was really happy. He thought back to his one night with Hermione. That had probably been the last good thing that had happened to him. She had been so passionate and open with him. She had told him that she loved him. Nobody but his mother had ever said that to him. He knew he hadn't loved the muggleborn witch, but he had begun to have some feelings for her. He had been so stupid to push them aside in order to win that stupid bet.

If she had been a pureblood, he would have pursued her for real. She was so gifted magically, academically, and emotionally. He had never been bored while they were together. As it stood, her blood wasn't an impediment to a romantic liaison, just to marriage. He had heard hushed stories of other pureblood men, who had muggleborn or even muggle mistresses. Maybe Hermione and he weren't meant to be together forever, but he could have had something _good _for a little while at least. Draco was sure he could have convinced her to keep their relationship a secret. She had loved him after all. He berated himself for carelessly throwing away the gift she had offered him.

A soft exhalation to his right caused his head to whip around. _Bad idea,_ he thought as his head started to pound. His eyes widened in surprise. The witch that he had been thinking about was right before him.

Hermione was sitting in the chair from the corner of his room. It had been pulled up close to his bed so that while her bum was resting on it, her upper body was slumped forward onto his bed and her head was resting upon her arms. Her face was on its side turned towards his headboard. She was laying very close to his hip. He tentatively reached out with his hand to touch her soft brown hair. He watched her for a moment before stroking a finger lightly down her cheek. When she stirred a bit, he quickly pulled his hand back. Hermione opened her deep brown eyes and stared into his gray ones.


	15. This Time It's Different

Chapter 15 This Time It's Different

_Last Chapter: Hermione was sitting in the chair from the corner of his room. It had been pulled up close to his bed so that while her bum was resting on it, her upper body was slumped forward onto his bed where her head was resting upon her arms. Her head was turned to the side, facing towards his headboard from its position near his hip. He tentatively reached out with his hand to touch her soft brown hair. He watched her for a moment before stroking a finger lightly down her cheek. When she stirred a bit, he quickly pulled his hand back. Hermione opened her deep brown eyes and stared into his gray ones._

"How are you feeling?"

"What are you doing here?"

Hermione and Draco spoke at the same time. Hermione sat up slowly, rolling her head and shoulders to get the knots out and to give herself a moment to compose herself. She brushed her hair back off of her face. They sat without talking for a couple of minutes, neither answering the other's question. Hermione broke the silence first.

"I found you collapsed in the common room last night. You were hurt pretty badly. Do you remember anything?" she asked him. He just shook his head and studied her. She looked tired, disheveled and very, very serious. Hermione was looking at him, or more precisely, at his arm resting on the bed covers. _Shit,_ he thought, _she knows. Why isn't she screaming by now? _When her gaze returned to his face, he slipped his arm under the covers.

When she didn't say anything Draco asked her, "Did _you_ heal me?" He wouldn't have been surprised if she had. _Merlin knows_, he thought,_ she can do every other spell on the planet._

She shook her head and said, "I called Dumbledore, so he brought Madame Pomfrey to take care of you." He just nodded. Even if they weren't close anymore, he knew she wouldn't have just left him laying there hurt. She wouldn't have done that to _anyone_. _She was just so damn altruistic all the time, _he thought. Another awkward silence filled the room.

Draco felt really worn out, so he leaned back on his pillow and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he opened then back up, she was gazing out through the French doors not unlike he had been doing earlier.

"So why are you here now?" he asked her somewhat ungraciously, "You did your good deed. It's Monday. Shouldn't you be in class or something? "

"Dumbledore asked me to stay with you today," Hermione told him, ignoring his tone. He nodded again and they both fell silent again.

Tired of skirting around the white elephant in the room, Draco pulled his left arm back out from beneath the blankets and presented it to her. "Aren't you going to ask?" he questioned warily, looking at her for condemnation or anger. He didn't get either one. All he saw was sympathy and sadness in her brown eyes.

"I asked Dumbledore last night. He told me about that too," She stated simply.

"All of it?" Draco asked quietly. He wasn't sure how he felt about Hermione, much less anyone else, knowing about all of the degrading things that had happened to him over the past six months.

She shook her head and said, "Not details. He said you'd tell me if you wanted to." He closed his eyes again relieved to hear that. Her next words shocked him, though. "Dumbledore wants me to be your friend."

"What?" His eyes popped open and gray clashed with brown.

"He's worried about you, afraid you're doing too much. He thinks you're too alone and need a confidante. Apparently, it seems I'm the perfect choice because I'm an Order member, I live with you, and as a bonus: everyone believes we don't want to have anything to do with each other," she answered wryly with a small shrug.

"What do _you_ think about it?" Draco asked trying to sound neutral. Though he was surprised that Dumbledore had _bothered_ to make that assessment, he didn't disagree. He found himself actually hoping she'd say_ yes_. He was so tired of having to keep up his guard all the time. He hadn't been able to let anyone get close to him for fear of letting something slip. He avoided his old friends from Slytherin, except when it was inevitable such as in class and at meals. He just didn't know whom he could trust.

He felt so _God damned_ lonely sometimes. He didn't want to burden his parents with his fears; they had enough of their own. He tried to be brave in front of them, like a Malfoy was expected to be. Draco recalled his earlier thoughts about Hermione before she had awakened. He hadn't thought he would get a chance to be _anything_ with her again. Having her friendship was a second chance. He didn't want to fuck it up. He waited for her response anxiously, though he tried not to show it.

"I'm here aren't I?" she answered tartly. "Maybe a fresh start is what you and I need. I'm willing to try to be your _friend," _she stressed the one word, "because no one should have to go it alone, especially if you're fighting for our side." She looked at him with honest eyes.

"Even after everything I've done, you're giving me another chance," he murmured in wonder. "How did you become so noble?" Draco asked. He was genuinely puzzled by her innate _goodness_ sometimes. That didn't, however, diminish the almost giddy feeling that he had inside of him. For the first time in months, he felt hopeful.

Hermione gave him an odd look and shook her head. "I'm not really noble," she denied, "It's just that everyone deserves a chance. It's all _I_ ever wanted since coming to the wizarding world."

When she smiled at him sweetly, he felt that maybe things might turn out all right.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next night at dinner, Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table with her friends again. She didn't join the talk swirling around her. Her absence yesterday hadn't gone unnoticed, but there had been no alarm since Dumbledore, true to his word, had let it be known that she was doing a Head project for some professors. She enjoyed her meal, occasionally glancing at the Head Boy at his place among the Slytherins. She thought back to their day together yesterday.

_After their initial conversation, Hermione had gone to clean herself up and get food for the two of them. After a quick shower and change, she had been happy to find that some school elves had left a potion for Draco and a large tray of food __for both of them__ on the coffee table. Levitating the tray, she followed it into Draco's room. The blond boy was still in bed, but he had piled his pillows against his headboard and was sitting up. When she entered the room and placed the tray on the empty side of the bed next to him, he smiled genuinely at her._

_She made to sit in the chair, but he patted the bed and said, "Sit on the bed with me, Hermione."_

_She just raised her eyebrow at him. He looked so appealing, but she wasn't going to let herself fall into that trap again._

"_Oh come on, I'm not going to try anything. It took everything out of me just to get to the loo and back," he wheedled noting her hesitation._

"_All right," she replied, knowing he really was still weak from the night before. She climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged facing him near the bottom of the bed. The two teens helped themselves to the food and ate without talking. Hermione was surprised that it wasn't an uncomfortable silence this time, and that she felt okay being this close to Draco. It was hard to feel nervous and fluttery when the boy in question was so clearly done in. After they were finished with the meal, Hermione got up and made to leave._

"_You're supposed to have that potion. It may make you sleepy, so I'll let you rest. I'll come back and wake you for a late lunch," she promised him briskly._

"_Will you stay with me for a while?" Draco asked in a quiet voice. "I like you being here." He found that it wasn't as hard to admit that as he had thought.  
_

_Hermione cocked her head to the side looked at him searchingly. Sighing, she finally agreed, "All right, let me just put the tray in the common room and grab some of my homework. You take your potion." _

_She left the room to complete her tasks and when she returned, Draco had taken his potion and arranged himself so he was mostly reclining. He had a book of his own resting on his chest. She got back onto the bed and settled into her spot near the foot of the bed._

"_Come on up here. I won't bite, you know," Draco teased playfully. Hermione had rolled her eyes at him. However, she did stretch out on her stomach next to him and prop her chin on her hands to read her Arithmancy text book. He's under the covers anyway, she reasoned to herself. Looking at him, she saw that he was already engrossed in his book._

_As she became focused on her own reading, she didn't notice that Draco watched her out of the corner of his eye. He wondered why he felt so peaceful when this witch was with him. When she looked up a little while later, she realized that he had fallen asleep. His hair had fallen over his eyes and he had a slight smile on his lips. _

Hermione brought herself back to the present. Yesterday had been a strange, somewhat surreal day for her. It was as though they had been in a protective bubble separated from the rest of the world. She and Draco had passed the rest of the day in a peaceful companionable manner. They talked about inconsequential matters, did homework, and even played some simple wizarding games. There was neither the volatile outbursts nor the strictly controlled distancing that was typical in their usual interactions. They were just two people who had discovered that they did indeed have a lot in common. Draco and Hermione found that they actually liked being around each other when there wasn't any intrigue or melodrama. Hermione thought it was a good start.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After dinner, Hermione had an extra long training session with Harry, Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville in the Room of Requirements. Soon after she had started auror training, Hermione had come up with an idea that she discussed with Harry privately. American covens, she had told him, were really strong. She didn't think that their_ own _group of friends needed to do the formal bonding ceremony, but if they could work together as a cohesive combat unit, his chances of defeating Voldemort would improve. She reasoned that while Harry may have been predestined to meet Voldemort alone, nothing had been said about getting him to that meeting and protecting him from other harm once he was there.

Harry had jumped all over the idea. He knew that Hermione wasn't known as the brightest witch of her age for nothing. However, he had insisted that Ron, with his knack for strategy, join in on the planning sessions. The three best friends had laid out their options and decided upon a plan. Of their training group, Luna and Ron were better defensive _spellsingers_ than offensive ones. Harry was able to do a phenomenal amount of damage with offensive spells, but his defenses were weak. He subconsciously tended to try to protect others rather than himself. Hermione, and Ginny surprisingly, were the only ones who was able to switch between the two opposites with relative ease. Of course Hermione was much stronger of the two.

When Hermione explained that seven was a particularly powerful number of members for a coven, her best friends had agreed that they would need to recruit two additional people. They had two requirements for these spots. The first was that the people had to be those they could trust their lives with, since they literally would be doing that. Their commitment to the Light side could not be in doubt. The second prerequisite, though of less importance, was that their personalities had to be compatible with the others.

So Neville was the first one asked to be a part of the group. Harry knew the boy was solidly on the Light side because of his what had happened to his parents. Even if he was a bit clumsy, he was stalwart, loyal, and trustworthy. Neville, on his part was honored and enthusiastic about being offered a place once he heard about the plan. Hermione spent a long time testing his abilities on his first night of training two weeks ago. She found, as she had suspected from his first year anecdote about himself bouncing when his uncle dropped him out of a window, that he was quite strong in natural defense magic. However, he did have trouble with putting together more than one offensive spell at a time. In spite of this, he fit in well with the group, both magically and personality-wise.

Now they just needed to find a seventh person. Ron, their strategist,declared that they needed someone strong in offensive spellcasting, since they already had three primary defense people, or four if you counted Ginny. He thought maybe one of the Patil sisters might do. Hermione had come up with a different idea since the events of the last couple of days. However, she wanted to feel out Draco before she dropped that particular bomb on her friends.


	16. Acceptance

Chapter 16 Acceptance

_Last Chapter: Now they just needed to find a seventh person. Ron, their strategist, declared that they needed someone strong in offensive spell casting, since they already had three primary defense people, or four if you counted Ginny. He thought maybe one of the Patil sisters might do. Hermione had come up with a different idea since the events of the last couple of days. However, she wanted to feel out Draco before she dropped that particular bomb on her friends._

When Hermione got back to her dorm late that night, she was exhausted. It had been a really long day and she had been on the go since the morning. She hadn't seen Draco since breakfast, though he had been in her thoughts throughout the day. Things between them had been so different yesterday. He'd been really earnest about wanting to be her friend. In his convalescent state, he hadn't been the cold sophisticated Draco that she had gotten used to. He had been so vulnerable and dependent upon her that she had been able to push the tension that was usually between them to the back of her mind. _He had been so tentative and sweet,_ she thought. Hermione was going to have to figure out how she was going to keep her balance and be his friend.

Draco was actually waiting up for her in their common room. He was sitting on the couch with his feet on the coffee table and a glass of fire whiskey in his hands. His white school shirt was unbuttoned and untucked. He appeared to have been sitting there for a while staring into the fire. At the sound of the portrait hole opening, he looked up and watched her silently as she walked in.

He had seen her briefly after breakfast, but hadn't had a chance to talk to her. She had been laughing and walking away from the castle with some bloke that he knew wasn't a student. Draco had wanted to punch the man when he casually put his arm about her shoulder. The next time he had seen her was at dinner and she had seemed preoccupied. He had wanted to question her, but she had disappeared after dinner.

When he hadn't been able to find her in the usual places, he came back to their room to have a drink. One drink turned into four as the time passed and his dorm mate hadn't returned. He thought about how they had spent the day together yesterday. Being with her had felt so _easy_, but that was when the real world didn't intrude. Draco felt confused about the new turn of events and he hated not being in control of anything, including his emotions. He had such mixed feelings about the witch.

"Hey," he said a little roughly to _his_ Head Girl. _Yeah,_ he thought the liquor making things clearer in his head for now, _Hermione Granger was his! _He finished his fire whiskey and looked straight at her.

"Hi, Draco," she answered. The witch smiled tiredly at him and plopped down on one of the chairs. She actually wanted nothing more than to drop into bed, but she had noticed the anxious and determined expression on his face. He clearly had something to say to her. Remembering her promise to Dumbledore, she waited to see what it was. He didn't say anything for a long time. Just when she was beginning to become uncomfortable with the silence and the way he was looking at her, he spoke.

"Where the hell were you tonight? I looked for you after dinner," he started off rather tersely, though he really wanted to know about that _git _from this morning that she had been chumming around with.

She looked at him with a puzzled expression, a bit taken aback by his angry tone. She had thought they were trying to be friends, but she wasn't going to let him yell at her. Striving to keep _her_ voice even, she answered, "I was with Harry, Ron and some of my friends."

"I thought you were supposed to by _my_ friend, Hermione," Draco answered petulantly finishing his fifth, _or was it sixth?_ he thought fuzzily, drink and pouring himself another.

"I'm trying to be your friend, Draco, but that doesn't mean that I stop being friends with anyone else," she answered a little more sharply, while she was thinking, _What the fuck? _"Look, I'm really tired and I think you've had too much to drink. Can we talk about this tomorrow? We'll have breakfast together here."

That just reminded him about that _arse_ that had his hands all over her this morning. "Are you going to let some slimeball put his hands all over you after we have breakfast?" he asked snidely, his face getting a resentful look on it.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione cried indignantly. "How much have you had to drink?" _What is he going on about? _she thought. She felt the peace they had established yesterday melt away as if it had never been.

"I saw you leaving school with some oaf this morning, laughing and letting him touch you!" he accused her in an enraged voice.

Hermione felt her own anger building in response and was about to give him a piece of her mind, when she saw the jealous look on his face. _Jealous look...My God, he's jealous of Regis Brocklehurst. _Her temper abating, Hermione felt her heart soften towards the belligerent Slytherin.

Impulsively, she moved over to the couch and sat next to the blond boy. She took the glass out of his grasp and set it on the table. Taking both of his hands in hers, she looked straight into his miserable eyes. "Draco Malfoy," she said seriously, "You've had enough of that."

He frowned at her for taking away his fire whiskey, but didn't want to pull his hands out of hers to retrieve his glass. _This feels good. She feels good, _he thought and that reminded him._ Damn it. She's mine, no one else has the right to touch her. _He didn't realize that he had mumbled all of that aloud.

Hermione looked at him in wonder and continued firmly, "That man this morning was just a friend. There is nothing going on between us."

He looked at her hopefully and leaned in to kiss her. She stood up just before he could reach his target and tugged on his hands. She shook her head at him, realizing that he was completely drunk. "Come on, Draco, let's get you to bed."

"Are you coming with me?" he asked, suddenly sly in the way that only the very drunk can be.

She blushed in spite of herself and responded by pulling him to his feet. When he swayed, she wedged herself under his arm and walked him towards his room. Once they reached his bedside, Draco again tried to take Hermione in his arms. Weakening for an instant she allowed him to wrap both arms around her. Pressing herself against him, she snuggled in for a moment letting herself breathe in his scent and feel his warmth. _Just for a little bit, _she thought. Then she pulled away slowly and put her hands on his chest. He looked down at her with slightly parted lips, dipping his head towards hers. She let his mouth touch hers for an instant and she could taste the fire whiskey on his lips. When he tried to deepen the kiss, she drew back.

With a quick pivot, she turned them both so he was between her and the bed. One gentle shove against his torso, and he fell backwards, falling onto the bed when the back of his thighs hit the edge of the mattress. He looked up at her blearily as she pulled off his shoes and tossed a blanket over him. He was asleep before she used a quiet spell to put out the candles and and walked out of the room.

As she was laying in her own bed, Hermione had plenty to think about. Yesterday was not a good measurement of how she should act with Draco. She had been so preoccupied about him being a victim, that she had forgotten that he could be a predator too. Tonight, though, she had gotten a reminder that she needed to take care when dealing with him. She had gotten a glimpse of the spoiled, possessive boy that he had been in earlier years and that was still a part of him. Because he wasn't completely recovered physically and drunk to boot, he had been easily handled by her tonight. However,_ s_he didn't know how she was going to react to a strong, clearheaded Draco.

_What was I thinking? I let him kiss me, and I liked it too much! Who am I kidding? I loved it, _she thought. _I must be really out of my fucking mind. I've obviously cracked from the pressure of everything and am delirious._

She didn't doubt Draco's sincerity in fighting against Voldemort. It was obvious he wanted to be free of that connection. However, she was less sure about his intentions towards _her_. She had heard his words about "her being his" and he was definitely jealous of other men who were near her. _What was __she supposed to do now? Were they just drunken thoughts or were they real? _ Now that he was on the mend, she needed to be more careful. _Smartest witch of the age,_ she mocked herself,_ I can't even figure out one seventeen year old boy! At least I was able to walk away from him tonight! _She feared that if she let him back into her heart, she was opening herself up for a whole lot of hurt.

_Am I willing to accept that? _she wondered before allowing sleep to claim her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It had been a little over three weeks since that night and only a few days remained until the holiday break. Though there were still some awkward moments in their interactions, they had settled into a routine that mostly worked for them. They treated each other with careful consideration, keeping things strictly platonic. They didn't bring up their kiss, or that night at all, and they were very careful about not touching. Aside from this, things were getting better between them. They were spending time together each night and Draco had slowly become less haunted looking.

The two heads students were working in the common room at the desk facing each other. They had just finished the prefect duty roster for after the holiday break, when Draco's breath suddenly hissed out in a swear. Hermione looked at him in concern as his face paled and he gasped in pain.

"He's calling me," he said hoarsely, grasping his left arm with his other hand and holding it to his body protectively.

"What can I do?" the witch asked seeing the despair in his gray eyes.

Draco had just shaken his head, closed his eyes and taken a deep breath to calm his pounding heart. He shored up his mental barriers and straightened his spine. When he had opened them and looked at her, she had almost recoiled. His face was completely wiped of all expression, his eyes carefully blank. Gone was the boy that she had been learning to like again; in his place was a cold hard man.

He didn't say anything, just looked at her for a long moment with his inscrutable face. Then he stood almost mechanically and walked to the fireplace. Grabbing some floo powder he'd announced in a cold voice "Snape's quarters," and was gone.

She'd notified Dumbledore, who had already known of course, and asked him what to do. He told her that she would know what was right when Draco returned. Hermione finally wore herself out pacing after three hour and collapsed onto the couch. She thought back over the previous weeks and about how things had changed.

_The morning after being put to bed by Hermione, a hungover Draco had come out of his room in a surly mood, barely acknowledging her cautious greeting. She had thought that the old wariness they normally exhibited around each other was back again. However, when she had entered their dorm that night, Draco was at the partners desk studying. He didn't say anything to her, but to her surprise there was a glass of her beloved hot chocolate, a plate of warm cookies, and a brand new quill on her side of the desk. She had taken them as the peace offering that they represented and sat down to work across from him in silence. Studying together at the desk before bedtime became a nightly ritual. Gradually, conversations were initiated and they started to know each other as friends._

_The following Tuesday night at their desk, Draco had asked Hermione where she went instead of going to double potions. "Don't tell me you're off helping one of the professors. I've seen you leaving the school grounds with...er...different people on those mornings." He had cringed a bit remembering his drunken accusations._

"_All right, I'll tell you. It's not common knowledge, but I'm training with the aurors," she replied, purposely ignoring his reminder of that night._

_He had looked at her with astonishment. At his prompting, she had explained what she was doing there and why. He had looked uncomfortable and remained silent when she had told him how Kingsley had found out about her skills. She had also let him know about training Harry and the others, though she didn't mention their pseudo-coven. He had regarded her with an uncertain look on his face for a few minutes, before asking, "Will you teach me?"_

_So she had. For the last two and a half weeks, they had shortened their study time each night to work on spellsinging together. It didn't surprise her to find that Draco was almost as good at it as she was. He was a strong, versatile wizard and managed difficult sequences with ease. Naturally, he was good at merging offensive and defensive spell sequences. He had even taught her a few hexes that she hadn't known. _

_With the exception of Harry, none of Hermione's other friends were able to come close to her power. Draco, however, had the magical ability and a quick mind to match and challenge her. Working together so closely had given each a healthy respect for the other's magical abilities and strengthened their budding friendship. _

_She had tentatively brought up the idea of him training with the others, but he had balked immediately. It was partly in fear of blowing his cover, but also because he didn't think his former enemies would accept him into their group._

Hermione was startled out of her thoughts by the flare of the fireplace indicating the Floo was being accessed. Draco stumbled out bruised and battered, but not as badly as the last time. There was blood on him that didn't appear to be his and he had looked at her with frighteningly empty eyes, before he seemed to realize who she was. The blank expression that he wore crumpled in the face of her compassionate one. As if a dam had broken, feelings chased across his face in rapid succession: horror, hopelessness, and self loathing.

He dropped to his knees in front of where she was sitting on the couch and practically threw himself into her arms. She automatically wrapped them around him, hugging him close to her. He gave a great shudder and buried his face against her neck soaking up the comfort that she offered him. Murmuring nonsense words to soothe him, she stroked his back and hair. She wondered what he had seen or done to put him in such a state. Though he didn't make a sound, she could feel his hot tears on her skin.


	17. Reaching Out

Chapter 17 Reaching Out

_Last Chapter: He dropped to his knees in front of where she was sitting on the couch and practically threw himself into her arms. She automatically wrapped them around him, hugging him close to her. He gave a great shudder and buried his face against her neck soaking up the comfort that she offered him. Murmuring nonsense words to soothe him, she stroked his back and hair. She wondered what he had seen or done to put him in such a state. Though he didn't make a sound, she could feel his hot tears on her skin._

Hermione snuggled deeper in to the warmth surrounding her, not yet completely awake. The arm around her tightened as she moved. _Arm? _she thought trying to shake the fog from her mind. She opened her eyes and realized that she was laying on her side on the couch in the common room. The room was chilly, but she was quite cozy. The reason was because the Head Boy was spooned right up behind her. He had one arm around her waist and his hand was cupping one of her breasts in his sleep. Her head was pillowed by his other arm and he had one leg thrown over the top of hers. She could hear his quiet breathing and feel it against the back of her head.

Looking down, she was relieved to see that they were both still fully clothed, though she noted with a grimace that there was dried blood on Draco's hands and arms. That made her brain finally wake up, and last night's events slowly came back to her.

She had given Draco what comfort that she could, but he had been unwilling or unable to tell her what had happened at the Deatheater meeting. _It must have been really bad_, she thought. He had eventually stopped crying, but seemed reluctant to let her go. She had given in to the blatant _desperation_ in his eyes and stayed with him on the couch for the night. He hadn't tried anything funny, seeming to just want to hold onto her tightly. They had fallen into an exhausted sleep at around five in the morning.

Reaching for his hand, she gently removed it from her chest and placed it on the couch in front of her instead. She could tell by the way his breathing changed and the sudden tension in his body that he too had awakened. Twisting a bit awkwardly, she turned over so that she could face him. When she settled in the direction that she wanted, one of her legs was trapped between his. Her expressive brown eyes met his tired gray ones.

"How are you doing?" she asked softly, as if waking up wrapped in his arms was an everyday occurrence. Her concern for his mental state overrode whatever qualms she had about their current position.

He looked into her eyes and his face took on a serious expression as he made a self-assessment of his current feelings. Memories of last night flashed in his mind: _the screams, the blood, the taste of his own vomit. His father and Snape hadn't been able shelter him from taking part in the "festivities". Up until last night, they had always managed somehow to ensure that he was spared the burden of actually killing. They failed last night. He would carry that sin on his soul for the rest of his life. _Draco almost threw up again right then and there. Concentrating on the strength that seemed to flow to him from the witch in his arms, he managed to ruthlessly shove the images behind a door in his mind and lock it tightly.

"I'm going to be okay," he answered swallowing convulsively, though he had to look away from her perceptive eyes. He concentrated on the reassuring solidity of _her, _letting Hermione's presence anchor him to the _now_.

Hermione just nodded. She had felt the shudder that he couldn't stop. She had also seen the play of emotions cross his face before he had hidden them, but she didn't want to push him too much.

Draco brought his gaze back to her face again. His body was beginning to stir as the rest of him took notice of the soft feminine form pressed so intimately against him. He moved the arm that was still hooked around her and brought his hand up to cup the back of her head and stroke her hair. Though he didn't think of it, the motion was an exact echo of how she had comforted him last night.

"Thank you for being here," he told her hesitantly. He felt a bit strange saying it to her. Being a Malfoy, he had been raised to have impeccable manners. However, he realized that he had never really bothered to use them with _her_ until recently. He didn't count the time during their "relationship" in sixth year, since he had to admit that most of his actions had been contrived.

She nodded again and answered, "I promised Dumbledore that I'd be your friend. I will help you get through this." Now it was her turn to look away for a moment.

He found himself being disappointed by her answer. True, he wanted her friendship now, but his body was sending him messages that it wanted something else. There was just something about her that drew him. He didn't want to ruin everything again, so for the first time ever he asked her for permission.

"Can I kiss you?"

Her eyes flew back to his and she was well aware of the warm hard bulge that was pressing against her thigh. She brought her hand up and softly ran her thumb over his lips. He sucked in a breath at the contact.

"I don't think that would be a good idea," she answered him honestly.

He took his hand from the back of her head and cupped her cheek. He was going to press the issue, but when he saw his hand on her face, he faltered. The dried brown blood smears contrasted sharply with her smooth clear skin. Pulling his hand away in shame, he closed his eyes and nodded regretfully.

"Let's get cleaned up and then we can talk some more," he heard her say. He allowed her to untangle herself from him and get up. He sensed her hesitation and felt her hand settle on his shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze, before he heard her walk away. He waited until he heard her bedroom door close before opening his eyes again. Sighing heavily, he made his way to his own bathroom to wash away the evidence of last night and to take care of his body's raging desire for Hermione.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The night before the students were to leave for the holiday vacation, Hermione and Draco were waiting in the Room of Requirements for Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny. The room was very similar in appearance to the auror training room at the Ministry, except that it was only about half the size. Draco was leaning against the wall in the lounge area where the door to the Room was located. He was clearly nervous about the upcoming meeting. It was a testament to his trust in Hermione that he openly let his feelings show.

Since two nights ago, when they had fallen asleep together on the couch, Draco no longer bothered to hide his feelings from her when they were alone. The only time he could be completely unguarded was with her and he was relieved to be able to do so. He sometimes wished that he could be as strong as Hermione. _You're such a coward,_ he said to himself derisively. He hadn't tried to force the development of a physical relationship again, fearing that it would push her away. As it was, he knew he was probably relying on her too much by making her support him emotionally. But he was just so tired, so disillusioned, and so _fucking_ guilty feeling. He didn't have anyone else to depend on.

Yesterday morning after they had both showered and dressed, she had broached the subject of working with Potter and his lot again. Draco still had reservations, but had listened to her when she spoke about the power of covens. She had said that it was their best chance at bringing down Voldemort, as he flinched at the name. He was skeptical about the chances of seven teenagers bringing down the Dark Lord, but fell silent when she argued that no one had thought that one muggleborn witch could bring down seven pureblood wizards. He didn't have a response for that. When she had said that he had nothing to lose and it could be his one chance to be free, he had reluctantly agreed to this meeting.

"Relax," she admonished him gently. "They agreed to at least talk to you. They know you're our best choice as a seventh." She thought back to yesterday's conversation with the group.

_Hermione had gone to speak to Dumbledore before dinner. She had asked his permission to let some of her friends in on Draco's secret. She had explained briefly about his breakdown, and shamelessly lied to Dumbledore, saying that she didn't think she could handle him on her own. The headmaster had raised his eyebrows at her as she had said it, but didn't call her on it. _

_With that damned twinkle in his eyes, he had gravely told her that she could share the information with "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Lovegood, and Miss Weasley only" if Mr. Malfoy agreed. Though none in the group had ever told him about their training together, she had always had the feeling that Dumbledore knew more about it than he let on. His response had pretty much confirmed her suspicions._

_That night after dinner, Hermione had waited for her friends in the Room of Requirements. When the others arrived, they were surprised to find that the room was not set up as usual, instead it resembled a smaller version of the Gryffindor common room. They looked at Hermione and she motioned them to sit._

"_I have a lot to tell you," she started off. "I think I've found the seventh person for our group."_

"_That's great, Mione," said Harry. "Who is it?" _

_The others looked at her expectantly with smiles on their faces. Hermione took a deep breath and prepared herself for the storm that she knew was about to break. "It's Draco."_

_There was dead silence and then a sudden explosion of sound._

"_What?"_

"_Malfoy? Are you fucking serious?"_

"_But he's a Deatheater-in-training!"_

"_Mione, you're kidding right? After what he did to you..."_

_For a good five minutes, Hermione was subjected to a barrage of disparagements about the Slytherin boy, her own mental state, and how her sense of humor had seriously deteriorated. _

_The only one who hadn't said anything yet was Luna. She looked at the rest of them with her wide cornflower blue eyes and said in her dreamy voice, "That's splendid, Hermione. He'll make a wonderful addition to our group." That statement caused the babble to cease and everyone's eyes turned to her, Hermione's included. _

_Ron, red faced and standing, stared at her incredulously and said, "Luna, you're as cracked as Hermione. How can you say that after everything that fucker has done to us all these years?" _

"_Don't swear, Ron, it scares the knarlens," she chided her boyfriend before continuing, "don't you trust Hermione's judgement?" That silenced everyone immediately, but it brought their attention back to the brown haired witch. _

_Harry, who knew her better than anyone else, had always trusted her completely. He looked at her somberly for a minute remembering their seven years of friendship. She was more than just his best friend; she was his sister in every way but blood. He weighed that against what he knew and suspected about her feelings for Malfoy._

"_All right, Mione," he said, knowing she'd never betray him."You know I'll never doubt you. Start from the beginning and tell us what this is all about. Sit down everyone and listen." The rest of the friends obeyed, hearing the authority that he injected into the last statement._

_So without any interruptions, Hermione told them Draco's tale. Harry hissed when he heard that Draco did indeed have the Dark Mark, but otherwise made no comment. The defection of Lucius and Draco and their subsequent admittance to the Order of the Phoenix was a surprise to all. Draco's condition after the Deatheater meeting last month gained Neville's sympathy as he thought of his own parents. Ron, however, narrowed his eyes and let out some choice swear words, when he heard about Dumbledore's request to Hermione. They listened to her description of studying and training with the Slytherin for the past couple of weeks. She told them what she suspected about his fragile emotional state that he tried to hide from everyone. By the time she described his breakdown last night, the friends were feeling sympathy for the boy that they thought they had hated. They were inclined to give him a chance._

"_He still won't tell me what happened, but whatever it was, it was bad. He agreed to work with us because he wants to break his tie to Voldemort in any way possible. He's worried you won't want him." _

"_Is that everything, Hermione?" Harry asked her after the witch had answered everyone's questions._

"_Everything that matters," she replied, skillfully avoiding a full answer. She had only withheld speaking about the increasing pull between her and the boy, who had already caused her so much pain. She wasn't ready to share that yet, if ever._

_Harry looked at her sharply knowing she wasn't telling him something. He let it pass though, after looking at her pleading eyes._

The door to the Room opened and her friends spilled in. She looked at their serious faces and turned to beckon Draco forward. He had put on a carefully neutral expression and held himself stiffly, though _she_ could tell he was quite uncomfortable with the situation. Luna, of course, was the first to break the silence.

"Hello Draco," said Luna happily, "I always knew that you were good. The bardles wouldn't cluster so thickly around someone who was evil." She gave the startled Slytherin a hug and dreamily went to sit on the couch. Draco didn't quite know what to make of that, but at least he wasn't standing so rigidly anymore.

Neville just said, "Hello Malfoy," and smiled tentatively at him. He joined Luna after the boy nodded back, choosing to leave the rest of the talking to the more outspoken members of the group.

Ginny looked at Draco pointedly and said somewhat caustically, "Don't make us regret this. I really hope you have changed." She crossed her arms and allowed her boyfriend to have his turn.

Harry approached Draco slowly. The dark haired wizard and the fair haired one sized each other up for a couple of minutes with new eyes. There was wariness on both sides, but no hatred. They had set it aside because they both realized how crucial this moment really was. Harry was going to have to trust his life and those of his closest friends to this boy, who he had hated for so long. Draco, in turn, was going to have to depend upon someone he had tormented and belittled for years to free him from the Dark Lord.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

"I hope you're sincere. I spoke with Dumbledore this afternoon and he verified everything that Hermione told us," he said. The witch mentioned looked at him unsurprised, as Harry had become very cautious these past few months. "From what Hermione says, you're a formidable wizard and we can really use you. Just remember that we work together. You're not more important than anyone else here. This isn't a game."

"Po...Harry, I know that more than most people," Draco answered just as seriously. "I've changed. I'll do my best to prove it to you."

Harry considered his old enemy carefully, never having seen the boy so sincere. He offered him his hand. Both remembered a hand offered and spurned back in first year. Draco slowly reached out and clasped the hand of the Boy Who Lived. At that moment their animosity died as they sealed their agreement to fight a common foe.

"I believe you will, Ma...Draco," answered Harry and a small smile graced his face.

Now everyone looked at Ron to see what he would do. He was the friend that Hermione had worried would be least accepting of Draco. His normally open face was inscrutable as he looked at the Slytherin. Without his support, the chance of them all working together smoothly would be down the tubes.

"I'll accept that you're on our side. Dumbledore wouldn't be wrong about that. He wouldn't risk Harry or any of us if he had any doubts about you. But I do have something that I want to get off of my chest before I welcome you into our group." Ron looked at Draco challengingly, as if daring him to argue.

"What is it?" Draco asked him looking at the other young man without emotion. He knew how important Weasley was to the others in the room.

"This," Ron answered and with a quick swing of his arm, his fist crashed into Draco's face. The blond stumbled back into the wall before righting himself.

"What the fuck was that for, Weasley?" he yelled at the redhead putting his hand to his jaw.

"Ron!" screamed Hermione at the same time.

Ron, however, didn't even look remotely sorry. He looked at Draco and said in a satisfied voice, "That was for Hermione, for last year. I've been waiting for a long time to do that. She may have forgiven you, but you still deserve to get the crap beaten out of you. I know it and you know it. I said I believe you're on our side, and I'll do my best to save your sorry arse if you need it. But it'll take time until I can look at you and not see the git that's been tormenting all of us since first year. Know this though, if you ever hurt Hermione or any of my friends again, I will take you down."

As he listened to Ron, Draco's sudden anger deflated. He regarded the redhead with a new look of respect in his eyes. He nodded slowly and reached out his hand. Ron looked at it for a moment, then shook it firmly.


	18. His Hands On His Woman

Chapter 18 His Hands On His Woman

_Last Chapter: "I said I believe you're on our side, and I'll do my best to save your sorry arse if you need it. But it'll take time until I can look at you and not see the git that's been tormenting all of us since first year. Know this though, if you ever hurt Hermione or any of my friends again, I will take you down." As he listened to Ron, Draco's sudden anger deflated. He regarded the redhead with a new look of respect in his eyes. He nodded slowly and reached out his hand. Ron looked at it for a moment, then shook it firmly._

Draco had stayed at the school for the holiday break after receiving a note from his mother saying that they understood how his Head Duties would keep him at school and not to worry about them; they would be too busy entertaining to keep him company anyway. He read between the lines and understood that it wouldn't be safe for him to return home and that there might be some Deatheater gatherings at the Manor.

Hermione had gone to the home of some relatives that he hadn't known she even had. He was glad that she had somewhere to be, but he had hoped she was going to stay at school. He felt a bit out of sorts, knowing she wasn't around where he could get to her. Harry and gone off with the Weasleys, while Neville and Luna had returned to their respective homes. He wasn't expecting to see them after his first training session. They surprised him in the morning, however, when they all trooped to the Heads' Dorm to say farewell to him. Ostensibly, they were there to pick up up Hermione, but they all made a particular point to wish him a happy holiday.

This year he was the only student actually staying at the school. There was group of about six underclassmen on the list of students with nowhere to go, but McGonagall had made some quiet inquiries and found places for them at the homes of various other Hogwarts families. She had offered him a place with her at her own brother's home in Scotland, as she didn't have a host family for him. He suspected that she hadn't really looked for one, as there were few _good_ families that would want a Malfoy in their home. He had thanked her anyway and declined saying that he would prefer to stay at school for some needed rest and solitude. The Head of Gryffindor house had looked at him intently before she took her leave of him.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are not the young man that you were even a year ago. If you change your mind, please owl me. You _truly_ would be welcome in my family's home." He had felt oddly cheered by her words.

On Christmas, he had woken up to a pile of gifts from his parents, as well as some unexpected ones from his new comrades. Harry had sent him an indoor personal snitch that would fly around his dorm room. Ginny had sent him a new quidditch book that just been published; he grinned when he saw Ron's name had been scrawled, as an obviously last minute add-on, in the card. Neville had sent him a packet of herbs and instructions for a tea "to heal aches and pains (like a sore jaw)". Draco actually laughed. He hadn't known that Longbottom had a sense of humor. He turned Luna's offering over and over trying to figure which end was the top. According to the note, it was a wall hanging, designed to keep _snilty gulliwinks, _whatever they were, out of his dorm room. That girl was just odd, but he smiled remembering her easy acceptance of him.

He didn't get anything from Hermione, but then, he hadn't gotten anything for her or any of them. He promised himself he would do something for the group when they returned. He felt a little overwhelmed by their thoughtfulness. It was so unlike anything a Slytherin would do. Ron's punch notwithstanding, they were really making him a part of their group; they were offering friendship. It was probably the best Christmas gift he'd ever gotten.

He had a quiet holiday dinner that night with Snape. He presented his godfather with a set of personalized flask stoppers for his potions. Snape handed him a box of about a dozen potions that he had made personally for Draco. Telling him that he would refill them when they were gone, Snape explained that these potions were ones that would come in handy in his unique situation. Looking at the list of pain relieving, minor healing, dreamless sleep, and strengthening potions, he had thanked his godfather gravely.

"You never know when you may need some of these, Draco. You can always come to me if you ever need healing. However, there will be times when you are alone and will not be able to allow anyone else to ease your hurts. Trust me; I know."

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was the New Years Eve and Draco was just getting back to his dorm after taking a post dinner flight around the moonlit school grounds. When he walked into the common room, he felt the difference in the atmosphere right away. Hermione's bedroom door was open and light was spilling out into the common room. _She's back,_ he thought. The girl who filled his thoughts walked into the common room carrying a book and an apple. She was wearing a tank top and pajama bottoms; she looked ready for a cozy night in. He drank in the sight of her, feeling a tightness that he hadn't realized was in his chest, ease. When she looked up and saw him, her face lit up in a welcoming smile.

"Hullo, Draco," she said. "I came back early so you wouldn't be alone the whole break. I've brought you something fro-"

Her words were cut off as he suddenly strode across the room, and placed his lips firmly on hers. _Don't push me away,_ he thought, _I've missed you so much. _She dropped her apple and book, bringing her hands up to tangle in his hair. _Yes! _Draco exulted. He gently swiped his tongue across her mouth silently asking for her to let him in. With a sigh, she parted her lips allowing him entrance. Their tongues slid against each other playfully, hers following his back into his mouth. He groaned in pleasure, hearing an answering gasp from her. He put his arms around her and felt her body arching into his. He skimmed his hands down to her firm bottom, giving a squeeze before running one back up underneath the hem of her tank top. He relished the feel of her silky skin under his hands.

She pulled her mouth away and looked into his eyes. They were dark with passion and need; she also read the question in them. She closed her eyes for couple of seconds and he froze waiting for her answer. _I want this now, _she thought. _I might regret it later, but I don't care. _Making her decision, Hermione got up onto her tiptoes and gently sucked on his neck just where she remembered he liked it the most. _Thank Merlin. _ Draco tipped his head back for a moment and enjoyed the sensation of her mouth on him before closing his arms around the witch.

Moving both hands to her rear again, he pulled her towards him to let her feel how hard he already was for her. He bent his knees, put his hands onto the backs of her thighs and boosted Hermione up so that she could wrap her legs around his waist. Putting her arms on his shoulders for balance, she playfully nipped his mouth and then licked it in a soothing manner. He growled at her and then smiled before claiming her mouth in a deep kiss.

He carried her over to the couch and turned around to sit, letting the petite witch straddle him. In this position, she could feel his hardness pressing right against her center. She rubbed herself against him, throwing back her head in pleasure. Draco took this as an invitation to put his hands on her waist and smooth them upward bringing her top up also. She helped him to pull it over her head so that he had unrestricted access to her top half.

He admired her round, perky breasts before lowering his head to take her right nipple into his mouth. It tightened and Hermione felt an answering tug in her loins, as he laved and suckled the sensitive flesh. His right hand cupped her left breast, circling the hardened nub with his thumb. He kissed his way across her chest, so that his mouth now paid homage to her other side. His left fingers now teased her right nipple, while his other hand made its way around her to stroke the smooth skin of her back and dip into the waistband of her pants. He loved that she was making sexy little sounds as pleasure moved through her body.

Hermione reached to pull his jumper over his head and then began to unbutton his shirt. He kissed her on her lips then gently grazed his mouth along his witch's neck, distracting her from her task. His hands touched every patch of bare skin that he could reach, claiming it as his. She finally got his shirt open and placed her palms on his chest, pushing the shirt to slide it off of his shoulders. Now it was her turn to tease him a little.

She touched her tongue to his nipple, only to suddenly have him recoil and shout out. She didn't understand what was happening until she realized Draco was clutching his forearm. His Dark Mark was writhing on his skin, the snake moving angrily. All desire fled, as she saw his anguished eyes and pain filled face. She reached out and put her hands on his shoulders to steady him. Draco looked at her with horrified eyes, panting slightly. He gently pushed her off his lap, so she fell onto the couch next to him.

His movements were jerky as he retrieved his shirt and slid it on without bothering to button it. He hunched over slightly as another sharp pain shot through him. He went to the fireplace and put his mark free arm on the mantle. Leaning his forehead on that arm, he took a minute to steady his breathing. He _had_ to get his mind and body under rigid control. Going before the Dark Lord in any other state could have deathly consequences. _Don't think of Hermione. _When his defenses were all in place, he used the floo to get to his godfather's rooms. He didn't dare look back at the half naked girl on the couch.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Snape and Draco arrived at the old mansion just minutes after they received the summons. The Dark Lord was not one who forgave tardiness. Draco was mostly in control when his father joined them. He took one look at his son and inconspicuously placed his hand on the seventeen year old's back, silently giving him encouragement. The touch steadied Draco so that he was able to put on his stone face. Lucius nodded shortly and the three men walked into where the Dark Lord was holding court.

This wasn't a dark revel. There were less than ten Deatheaters present: mostly higher ups with a couple of lackeys. The two older wizards looked at each other quickly. Things were bad when it was this personal. They flanked Draco when they stepped forward to make their obeisance.

"Ah...Severus, Lucius, and the boy, Draco," Tom Riddle hissed in his malevolent voice. He regarded them through slitted eyes. "So young Malfoy, have you succeeded in your task?"

Draco felt Severus' hand on his shoulder, pushing him to his knees. He looked up at the Dark Lord, carefully avoiding his eyes. "No Lord, not yet." The _crucio_ was not unexpected, but he still fell to the floor in response to the excruciating pain. When it was over, Riddle waited until he had gotten back on his knees.

"Why not?" came the sibilant hiss. "Did not Narcissa tell me you stayed at school to take care of this?"

"My Lord," came Lucius' smooth voice though Draco could hear the thread of fear in it, "when did you speak to that useless wife of mine?"

"Why, right before you arrived," Voldemort smiled unpleasantly, indicating the corner of the room.

With a wave of his wand he removed the _concealment charm_ that had hidden Narcissa Malfoy, held tightly in the grasp of a large Deatheater. Her hair and clothes were disheveled and there was the beginning of a bruise across her cheek. She tried to speak, but clearly _Silencio_ had been cast upon her. The minion holding the witch brought her forward to a spot between the Dark Lord and where the Malfoy men and Snape were standing. He bowed to Voldemort then stepped away, not looking at the three other men.

"Mother?" Draco gasped trying to rise to reach her. He felt Severus' hand tighten on his shoulder, warning him to remain still.

Lucius took a step forward and said, "Why is she here, my Lord? She is a silly woman, who knows nothing about our business." Narcissa looked frantically at them with tears in her eyes. She knew to remain still and not call Riddle's attention to her again.

"Lucius, your wife did not have your son come home for the school break. He missed many meetings because of her."

"My Lord, Draco stayed at school to get closer to Dumbledore in order to fulfill _your_ orders!" Lucius protested.

"Well, then why is he not dead?" thundered Voldemort at Draco.

"He left Hogwarts after vacation started, Lord. He hasn't come back yet." Another negligent wave of his wand sent Draco to the floor again.

"You are weak, boy. You need to learn a lesson." He didn't even look at Draco, locking eyes with Lucius instead. "I'll have to punish you."

Draco felt the dread pool in his stomach, but he didn't expect what happened next.

Voldemort raised his wand and yelled, "_Imperio_." Lucius stiffened and his eyes went blank. "Make your boy stand, Lucius, and give him to Severus."

The elder Malfoy grabbed his son by the hair and pulled, forcing Draco to either stand or have his scalp ripped off. When the boy was on his feet, Lucius threw him at Snape.

"Snape, hold the boy still," said the evil wizard. _ "Don't let him move or look away." _

Severus had no choice but to obey. He cast a quick _Petrificus Totalus _ on his godson, holding his arms in a firm grasp to keep him upright.

"Lucius, show your wife how we punish failure. Use your_ hands._"

Lucius stepped up to a wide eyed Narcissa and struck her hard across the face. As she stumbled back, he followed, backhanding her across her other cheek. She put her up her arms to defend herself against her husband, but she was no match for him. Draco was forced to watch as his father used his fists to beat his wife, the mother of his son, senseless. At some point, Voldemort had removed the silencing spell on the woman and her cries and moans of pain were the only sounds in the chamber, except for the sickening thud of flesh meeting flesh. The other Deatheaters watched the display impassively.

When Narcissa was a bloody heap on the ground, Voldemort commanded Lucius to stop. He ended the curse on Lucius and watched in amusement as the man looked in horror at what he had done to his wife. The senior Malfoy whispered, "Cissa!" and bent to gather her in his arms. Instead, he was knocked to the ground himself by a vicious _crucio _from the Dark Lord.

"Get the boy from my sight, Severus!" Voldemort ordered removing the curse from Lucius. He looked at Draco this time and muttered something under his breath. He recast _Crucio_ on the elder Malfoy and hissed to his son, "Remember this is what happens when you fail me, boy."

Snape hurriedly left, levitating Draco's frozen form behind him. In a blur, he had _side-apparated_ them outside of the Manor, where he rushed them inside. He pulled Draco through one of the fireplaces to land in his personal study at Hogwarts. Only then, did he release Draco from the _Petrificus Totalus. _

As expected, Draco went wild. "Why didn't you stop him! We have to go back," he yelled hysterically at his godfather and grabbed some Floo powder. Snape knocked it out of his hand and shook Draco hard. He had to slap the boy to get him to stop struggling.

"Stop it!" Snape roared. "I don't have time for this. _I_ have to get back to help your parents. He ordered _you_ away; he'll kill you if you return now."

"Go back to your dorm," he commanded in a stern voice. His voice was softer when he promised, "I'll take care of them." In a flash of the fireplace, he was gone.

Draco took more floo powder and this time he emerged from the fireplace in the Heads' common room. Hermione jumped up from her seat on the couch and ran to him. He pushed past her and went into his room slamming the door behind him. Casting a locking and silencing spell, he began to scream and destroy everything that he could reach.


	19. What Happened To Her

Author's Note: I've changed the rating to "M" since the story has gotten a bit more "detailed" than I had originally intended. This chapter is rather dark. Also, thanks for the reviews, especially those of you who keep coming back!

~SNdP

Chapter 19: What Happened To Her

_Last Chapter: "Go back to your dorm," Snape__ commanded in a stern voice. His voice was softer when he promised, "I'll take care of them." In a flash of the fireplace, he was gone. Draco took more floo powder and this time he emerged from the fireplace in the Heads' common room. Hermione jumped up from her seat on the couch and ran to him. He pushed past her and went into his room slamming the door behind him. Casting a locking and silencing spell, he began to scream and destroy everything that he could reach._

Draco's head was pounding. He needed to destroy something. _Why would I think that?_ He'd seen that fucking girl... _No, her name is Hermione. _His head hurt so much! That fucking cunt...S_he's not, she's good_... He'd wanted to hurt her... _I don't want that_... to smash that face that was staring at him...._That isn't righ_t...The pain in his head was blinding him!...Kill her his mind urged..._NO!_ Destroy that bitch..._I can't_... Destroy it all..._ I've got to get away from her_...With his last coherent thought, he rushed into his room and cast the spells to keep her away from him. His wand fell rolling under the bed, as he clutched his head._ Ahh_...it_ hurts! _Then he remembered no more.

Hermione stared aghast at Draco's closed door for a few minutes after he had shut it. She cautiously tried to open his door physically and magically, but it refused to budge. The complete cessation of noise from the other side let her know that he must have cast a silencing spell too. The Head Girl was desperately worried about him. She had seen a myriad of negative emotions on his face throughout the time she'd known him, but the expression on his face as he'd come through the floo had shocked her. In the instant that he'd looked at her, she had seen rage, hatred, and anguish. She _knew_ he didn't feel those things about her, but nonetheless it scared her deeply. She needed to get to him _now. _

_Don't shut me out,_ she thought,_ I can help you._ She leaned her head against the door trying to think of what to do next. Hermione narrowed her eyes as a new thought struck her._ I'm such an idiot!_ Hurrying into her bedroom, she went straight through the room and out the French doors into the wintry night. She walked across the balcony and over to Draco's entrance. She hoped it wasn't locked, realizing she had left her wand in the common room. Relieved when the handle turned, she slid quietly into the room and shut the door behind her.

Her eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. It looked like a tornado had gone through the bedroom. His belongings were strewn everywhere. The bedside table had been thrown across the room. The chair she had once fallen asleep in lay broken on the floor where it had obviously been thrown into the mirror. Glass littered that half of the room. Draco's bed hangings had been torn down down; his pillows and blankets ripped off of the bed.

The boy who had caused the destruction was currently using his beloved broom to beat the crap out of one of the posts of his bed. His face was red and his eyes were wild. His hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat. Hermione would have laughed at the sight of the the tall blond throwing a tantrum like a four year old, if she hadn't been able to hear the words that he was yelling. Something was seriously wrong with him.

Draco couldn't fight the urges running through his body. They told him to rend...to tear..to destroy everything! He wanted to hurt, to maim, to kill. He _needed_ to do these things. He had never felt so much anger and hatred for the world. Reality had receded and his mind had become a red haze of rage and aggression.

"Fucking. Kill. You. Bastards," With every word, the Head Boy swung the broom at the hapless post. "Dead. Kill. Fucker." Draco was so locked in his own mind that he wasn't even aware of what he was screaming. "Fuck. Fuck. Die!" On that last word, his broom broke and he threw it aside, turning to look for his next target.

"Draco?"

He heard the voice behind him and turned to face it. Hermione blanched when he looked at her with no recognition whatsoever. His eyes were almost completely black, with just a small ring of their usual silver showing. "Snap out of it, Draco," she said firmly, hiding her unease. "Come sit down. You're not well." The Slytherin just stared at her with hatred in his eyes.

He took a predatory step towards the suddenly frightened witch. Cursing her lack of a wand, she backed toward the French doors. Realizing that she couldn't get through to him right now, she decided a retreat was in order. As he moved nearer, she gripped the door handle behind her back. Spinning quickly she pulled on the door, trying to escape this stranger with Draco's face.

The Head Boy was on her in an instant. He slammed into her, effectively closing the door and crushing her against the glass. Dazed, she felt one of his hands grip her upper arm locking it to her side. His other one went around her neck. His fingers dug into her skin, leaving bloody furrows, choking her. She didn't know what he was going to do next, when the combat training drilled into her by the aurors suddenly kicked in. She threw her head back knocking into his nose, possibly breaking it. It caused him to stumble back and release her arms. She thrust her elbow into his stomach, but the angle was wrong so it didn't incapacitate him like the aurors had promised. It only seemed to enrage him further.

His nose pouring blood, he yelled incoherently and came after her again. She skittered to the side just beyond his reach. He stalked her, cutting her off from the door to the balcony. _Fuck!_ she thought as her heart sped up. He lunged for her again and she tried to hit him in the face with her fist. This time he caught hold of her wrist and yanked hard. She lost her balance and he slammed her into the wall. Jerking her wrist again, he threw her onto the floor knocking the wind out of her. Draco landed on top of her, straddling her hips.

"Let me go, Draco," she cried struggling to get him off of her. He slapped her across the face, his bloody one almost unrecognizable in its madness.

"I'll. Kill. You." he screamed at her, punctuating each word with another blow. Eerily, his motions mirrored how Lucius had beaten Narcissa. Hermione's lip split and her head swam from the pain. Still she fought, bucking and twisting beneath him until his eyes suddenly changed. The rage was still there, but there was a new look added to it. She could feel him grow hard against her stomach. She looked at him in horror.

"Get the fuck off me," she yelled at him. With a strength born of his madness, Draco literally ripped Hermione's clothes off. She fought all the harder, but he just pinned her wrists above her head with one hand freeing himself with the other. He kicked her legs apart and fought his way between her thighs.

_Not like this, God, not like this. _Her prayers weren't answered and Draco thrust into her unprepared body. She screamed at the intrusion, tears streaming from her eyes. He continued to shove himself into her brutally, disregarding her attempts to move away from him. He leaned down and bit her viciously on the top of her breast causing her to scream again. It seemed to spur him on.

"Draco, love, you're hurting me," she begged him. She thought she saw his eyes flicker. She tried again, striving to ignore the pain from his vicious treatment.

"Stop, it's Hermione. Please stop. I love you. Please." Her pleading seemed to reach him in a way that her screams hadn't."You're hurting me," she moaned.

His movements slowed and his eyes slowly began to regain their normal gray color. However, his body was just too close to orgasm to not finish and he stiffened, releasing his seed inside of her. By the time his shudders ended he had stopped moving completely and let go of her hands. His body slumped atop hers.

Draco was just waking up. His head felt like a herd of hippogriffs had run through it. His body was so tired, like he had just had a particularly tough quidditch practice. He realized he was lying on the floor on something soft. Opening his eyes, he saw that the thing cushioning him was the Head Girl.

"Hermione?" he asked uncertainly. He looked at her tearful, battered face in growing horror not understanding what was going on. She almost sobbed in relief as she saw sanity back in his eyes.

"Please stop," the brown eyed girl repeated softly. Belatedly he realized the position that they were in and the fact that he was _inside_ of her. He quickly pulled out and tucked himself back into his pants. Sitting up, he grabbed a set of school robes that were on the floor and covered her naked body with it. She huddled under the black cloth.

"Merlin, Hermione, what did I do to you?" He reached for her, apalled when she flinched from his touch. "Talk to me please," he begged her as he carefully brushed the hair from her face. This time she let him touch her. "What happened?" She didn't answer him, just shook her head.

For the first time, he became aware of the destruction surrounding them. Most of it came back to him: being with Hermione in the common room last night; the Dark Lord's call; Father under the _imperious; _Mother. His heart contracted as he thought of her. _ I don't even know if she's alive_, he grieved. He only had vague, disjointed images of what had happened after that. He thought his godfather had brought him home, but he couldn't sure. However, the way he had come to his senses a few minutes ago spoke pretty clearly. _I raped Hermione, _he thought feeling sick. He turned to the side and promptly vomited up everything in his stomach with loud violent heaves.

After wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he looked back at the witch laying on the floor staring at him silently. Draco knew he needed to get them both out of this room, so he stood up with her cradled in his arms. To his surprise, she didn't protest just buried her face into his chest. He brought her to the door, which wouldn't open and he had no idea what had happened to his wand. She shakily nodded towards the other end of the room. Tucking the robes more closely around her, he carried her through the French doors and back to her room.

_~*~*~*~*~*~_

About an hour later, Hermione sat on one of the chairs in the common room. She stared morosely at the Head Boy. Draco was sitting on the couch and she had her wand held in her hand directed towards him. He was looking at her pleadingly. She hadn't hexed him yet, but he knew she was still wary about being this close to him. Her body was feeling slightly better from the potions that she had taken, but she was still in a considerable amount of pain. In spite of seeming calm and in control to Draco, she definitely wasn't all right physically or emotionally. She thought about the past hour.

_Draco laid Hermione gently on her bed in the Head Girl's room. She winced as her body came into contact with the bedding. She hurt so much and she really, really wanted to take a shower. She looked at the blond boy hovering over her. He had worn a look of self-disgust on his face as he carried her in, but his eyes were only filled with concern when they met hers now. He had seen her flinch as he placed her on the bed and immediately felt guilty._

"_Let me help you," he said to her anxiously, though it really sounded like a question. She nodded at him, her eyes overly large in her face. She was still scared of him, but didn't really have a choice as she could barely move on her own. _

_Draco ran into the Common room, grabbed the box that Snape had given him for Christmas, and returned to sit at her side. He hurriedly picked out a pain potion and a healing potion. Opening both bottles, he passed them to Hermione so she could drink them. _

_The potions started to go into effect almost instantaneously, and she could feel the pain lessening. Hermione still hurt, but at least she could move now. She scooted back from him to sit with her back against the headboard with her knees drawn up against her chest. She still clutched his school robe to herself._

"_Hermione, I don't know why I ...did what I did," he stuttered looking away from her. Anxiety was pouring off of him in waves. "I don't...remember it. I wouldn't hurt you on purpose." _

_She didn't answer immediately, thinking of how he had been earlier, and how he was right now. He looked so distressed. She closed her eyes taking a steadying breath. "I believe you. You weren't ...you."_

"_I don't even know what happened. Tell me, please."_

_He moved closer to her intending to take her in his arms, but she shook her head. "Don't... touch me right now. I need to get cleaned up before I can talk to you," she said._

"_Let me take care of you," he looked at her hopefully, wanting to fix this mess. _

_She shook her head. "You...I...just let me do this myself. I'll be all right," she answered. "Just wait for me. Go sit in the chair." She pointed at the chair in the corner and he moved to it, watching her carefully. She got up painfully, wrapping his school robes around herself and making sure he made no move to get up. Keeping her eyes on him the entire way, she backed her way into the common room._

_She grabbed her wand from the couch, feeling instantly more secure. She returned to her room keeping her wand between her and the Head Boy, and went into the bathroom. Locking the door mechanically and with the strongest locking spell she knew, Hermione then ran the shower as hot as she could stand it. She stepped in with her wand, refusing to leave it out of arms reach, and washed herself over and over. _

_When she was done, she stood looking at herself in the mirror. The gouges on her neck and arms were partially healed, as was the bite on her breast. The potion had healed her split lip and there were no bruises on her face, though her jaw ached a bit. She still had bruises on her wrists, thighs, and on her back though they were fainter than they should have been. Her center still throbbed painfully and hurt when she moved. A quick check showed some specks of blood. Apparently, the healing potion Draco had given her was only a minor one. She was probably going to have to go to a mediwitch for stronger medicine. She cringed at that thought. Grimacing, she put on her robe and returned to the bedroom. She kept her wand tight in her grip, not hiding it from Draco._

_Draco was sitting exactly a she had left him. He jumped up at her entrance, but sat again when she pointed her wand at him. He looked normal to her, but she wasn't going to take any chances. She looked at his bloody face and shook her head. __"You should take some potions too," Hermione told the boy. "Your nose looks broken." _

_At her words, Draco became aware of the throbbing of his face. He had been so preoccupied with her condition, that he hadn't even registered his own injuries. I did this to her, he thought humbled by her compassion, and she's trying to take care of me. He pulled the stoppers from two of the potions and quickly downed them. Putting his hands to his nose, he said, "It's not broken. Now can we talk?"_

_Hermione shook her head again, thinking quickly. Indicating the bathroom,with her wand she said, "No. Go get cleaned up. I'll get you some clothes. Then we'll talk."_

"_But..." he protested. She shook her head and pointed her wand at her bathroom. Draco wanted to argue, but the expression in her eyes brooked no argument. Giving in, Draco walked out of the room. Hermione made a relieved sound when she heard the shower start, and immediately spell locked the door. Going to the wardrobe, she fully dressed in underthings, jeans, a sweatshirt, socks, and shoes. If Draco went crazy again, she wasn't going to be caught in pajamas. _

_Then moving as fast as her wounded body let her, she went across the balcony to Draco's room. She stood in the doorway and tried to avoid looking at the spot where IT had happened. Instead she waved her wand and said, "Accio Draco's wand and night clothes." His wand came flying towards her, followed by a t-shirt and pair of sleep pants. She tucked his wand into her back pocket, hiding it under her shirt. She returned to her room, dropped the clothes on the floor in front of the bathroom and unlocked the door. She went into the common room, leaving her bedroom door wide open._

_Hermione used the Floo to call Dumbledore and Snape, but neither was in their quarters. No other professors had stayed at Hogwarts over the break. She heard the bathroom door open, so she made a decision. She had a wand; he didn't. She'd find out what was going on._

This was one of the few times in her life that Hermione had no idea what to do next. She had Draco under control and at wand point. He'd told her what had happened when Voldemort called him. He had almost been crying when he said he didn't know if his mother was alive. Hermione _did_ feel bad for Draco, but right now she was really freaking out about what had happened to _her_. He kept telling her that he didn't remember coming home or going crazy, like she'd described. On the outside she was holding herself together, but her control was crumbling around the edges.

She had just about decided to _stupefy _Draco and bring them both to St. Mungo's, when the fireplace flashed and Snape came through holding his wand in front of him aggressively. His eyes quickly scanned the room and when they found the two teens sitting calmly in the seating area they goggled slightly in surprise.

Lucius Malfoy came through next brandishing his wand. Incongruously, he was yelling,"Draco, I love you. Draco, Father loves you! I lov-" When he spied the two teens looking at him open mouthed, he snapped his shut. The four stood in a frozen tableau for a moment.

Draco was the first to break the silence. He looked at his father imploringly and whispered, "Mother?"

"She's at St. Mungo's. She almost died, but the healers just barely saved her. They say she'll need to stay for a few weeks and then it will take her months to come back to full strength, if ever." For the first time, Hermione saw Lucius didn't have his usual arrogant look about him. In fact, he looked downright haggard.

Draco went over to his father and clasped his shoulder. Lucius suddenly pulled him awkwardly into a tight hug, and she could see that Draco had a look of wonder on his face. It was obvious that physical demonstrations were rare between the two. Hermione looked away because it seemed wrong to watch such a private moment.

"Are you all right son?" Lucius asked, as Draco stepped back self-consciously. "We came as soon as we could. The Dark Lord said he cast E_xitosus Saevio_ on y..." He tapered off when he realized that Hermione had straightened up and was listening to every word. The arrogant look was back on his face and he sneered at her disdainfully. Turning to his son, he said, "Come, let's talk in your room."

Draco looked panicked for a second, an quickly demurred, "No, let's take a walk." His father just glanced at Draco's bare feet with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione had gotten the point and said softly, "That's okay. I'm going to bed anyway." She stood up, biting her lip from the pain. She walked carefully towards her room.

Snape, who was the only one facing her, looked at her sharply and called, "Miss Granger. Would you accompany me to my quarters instead? I would like to talk to you."

She looked at him and was surprised for the second time since knowing him when she saw the compassion in his dark eyes. The girl swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and nodded. He motioned for her to Floo first and without glancing back at either Malfoy, she did.

_~*~*~*~*~*~_

_Author's Note:_

Exitosus Saevio - Destructive Rage


	20. Putting The Pieces Back Together

Chapter 20: Putting the Pieces Back Together

_Last Chapter: Snape, who was the only one facing her, looked at her sharply and called, "Miss Granger. Would you accompany me to my quarters instead? I would like to talk to you." She looked at him and was surprised for the second time since knowing him when she saw the compassion in his dark eyes. The girl swallowed the sudden lump in her throat and nodded. He motioned for her to Floo first and without glancing back at either Malfoy, she did._

"Sit down, Miss Granger," Snape said to Hermione once he exited from the fireplace in his private study.

She sat a bit gingerly in one of the leather chairs that faced the fire. In spite of her discomfort, Hermione's mind noted with surprise that the professor's private quarters were quite cozy, not what she expected from the normally cold man. The walls were paneled in rich wood, with built in book cases filled with hundreds of tomes and interesting looking magical items. His furniture was all butter soft leather and polished wood. The whole room was very comfortable, yet masculine.

While Hermione perused the room, Severus Snape examined the girl. She was deathly pale and looked extremely weary. Often, her face would tighten or she would wince as though in pain. She sat slightly hunched in upon herself, and he was cognizant of the fact that she had not let go of her wand once since he had stepped into the common room. Most of all he noticed her eyes didn't sparkle and snap the way they normally did; instead they were dull and distressed. He saw her try to hide it, but he had known the young witch since she was eleven. He had especially watched her tonight as she had looked at his godson, and the older wizard saw more than they would have suspected.

He cleared his throat and Hermione's attention flew back to him when he spoke again.

"How badly are you hurt, Miss Granger? Do you need me to heal you?" His questions startled her. Snape was looking at her with that same compassion that she had seen upstairs in the Head Dorm.

"How did you know?" she whispered, not wanting to meet his gaze any longer. She turned her eyes towards the fireplace.

"I saw how you moved and the wounds on your neck are quite obvious," he replied. "Are you injured elsewhere?"

Hermione's struggled with the mortification of telling _where _she was injured to Snape, of all people, against her body's need for relief from the pain. She evaded the question for a moment by answering, "Draco gave me a minor healing potion and a pain potion. I thought I could brew a stronger one or see a mediwitch tomorrow."

Snape looked at her aware that her face was pink with embarrassment. However, he pushed that aside because he couldn't help the witch if he didn't know how severe the damage was. "Miss Granger, I'm sure I have everything you may need, but I need to know the nature of your injuries so that I may give you the proper potions"

Hermione close her eyes and gave up. She was _tired_ of being strong tonight. She wanted someone else to take responsibility, to take care of _her_. If it was to be her potions professor, then so be it. She replied in a voice so quiet that the professor had to lean forward to hear her, "I have more scratches on my arm, a lot of bruises, my jaw hurts," her words came even lower, "and I think he tore me... inside."

Snape sucked in his breath upon hearing the last. He had assumed that Draco had just attempted to_ kill_ Hermione. After all, he had seen how she could defend herself in the penseive. He looked at at her and his words sounded like a question, "You're much faster with your wand than he is."

Hermione shook her head and admitted, "I didn't have it with me."

Snape didn't say anything else, but strode away through a doorway and came back with four vials. He gave two of them to her to take immediately, which she did. He gave her instructions on how much of the third and fourth ones were to be added to her bath water for the next few days. All these instructions were delivered in his lecture voice with him standing a good two meters away from her, effectively putting Hermione at ease. When he was done, Snape sat in the chair opposite her.

"Will you tell me what happened tonight?" Snape asked her.

"Will you tell me what E_xitosus Saevio_ does?" she asked back. When Snape nodded, Hermione told her tale. She told him how Draco had looked when he returned from the Deatheater meeting and how he had locked himself in his room. She told him how she had gotten in to Draco's bedroom. She told him how Draco hadn't recognized her and how his eyes had been different. She told him how Draco had attacked her. She told him everything that had happened up until Draco had thrown her to the floor. Hermione didn't need to tell him the rest. She didn't tell him how it had broken her heart to have Draco hurt her so much.

"I screamed at him then I pleaded with him, and it ended," Hermione finished.

Snape hadn't uttered a word during her recitation. He just looked at her with those dark unfathomable eyes. When she had finished, he remained silently deep in thought for a few minutes before speaking.

"What I tell you about the E_xitosus Saevio_ curse may clear some things up for you, Miss Granger." Snape told her. "It was a curse created during the first wizarding war. The spell causes the victim to go into a frenzied rage during which he will attempt to destroy anyone and everything in his path. It was a strategy the Dark used to demoralize the other side. They would curse a man with E_xitosus Saevio_ and set him loose in a school, hospital, or other place where the weak and innocent congregated. Those were the targets that affected their enemies the most. The dark wizards chose _outcasts_ or those with _few_ or _no_ family ties."

"Why them in particular?" Hermione asked, hearing the emphasis that the potions master placed on those words. She understood that Snape was also referring to Draco.

"You see, Miss Granger, the only way to counter the E_xitosus Saevio_ is to have someone, who _truly_ loves the one cursed, call that person back to himself. Outcasts are loved by no one, so there is no way to stop the curse once it has been cast," Snape answered meeting her eyes perceptively. "Another thing, when the curse victim is first set loose, he usually immediately goes on a rampage. It is unusual for there to be any sort of delay, unless he is faced with someone _he_ loves. Then his conscience fights the imperatives of the curse."

Hermione thought of the implications of those statements. She now knew why Draco had locked himself in his room, why he had attacked her and why he had stopped. _I know I love him,_ she thought, _could he love me?_ Her mind rejoiced at that thought. She was happy that it hadn't _really_ been _him _attacking her. Logically she understood that; she just needed her heart and body to reconcile themselves to that idea as well.

"The Dark Lord does not believe there is anyone here who loves Draco. He thought that by doing this, it would force Draco to go after Albus since no one could take the curse off before he returned. That is why Lucius came into your quarters the way he did. I care for my godson, Miss Granger, but I didn't know if it would be enough to bring him back to his senses. " He looked at her somberly, then continued, "I regret we did not come sooner. We did not know that you were here and we needed to get Draco's mother to the hospital quickly."

She was going to ask more, but the fire place flashed and Lucius Malfoy stepped through. He glanced at her narrowly with a puzzled, slightly angry look on his face. He motioned for Severus to follow him, and exited through the door. Snape held a hand up to Hermione telling her to remain sitting and then followed the other Deatheater.

A few minutes later, Lucius came back into the room alone. He looked at Hermione and pronounced, as though it pained him, "Miss Granger, we are in your debt for saving Draco. I would like to compensate you for your trouble."

She just shook her head at him without saying a word. He glared at her for a moment, nonplussed.

"Very well then. You have our thanks," the senior Malfoy said in a voice that could freeze fire. Then, as if he couldn't stop himself, he added, "It doesn't change things, though. You know he's not meant for you. He's a Malfoy." With that, he turned to the Floo and called out, "Malfoy Manor." He stepped through and was gone.

Snape stood in the doorway and observed the stricken look on the young witch's face and knew just how she felt. For just a moment he thought of his _Lily_. He had loved her, but he had never gotten to have her. Snape hoped that Hermione's outcome was better than his had been.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Hermione arrived back in her common room, Draco was waiting for her on the couch. He jumped up when he saw her. It seemed that he was going to come towards her, but then he hesitated, not knowing what to do. He put his hands into his pockets, and asked her for about the twentieth time of the night, "Are you all right?"

"No, I feel like crap," she answered honestly, too tired to dress it up. He looked stricken by her answer and Hermione felt annoyed that _she_ felt bad for putting that look on his face. She felt tired, sore, wrung out, not quite in control of her emotions. Lucius' words lingered in her mind. She wasn't quite ready to deal with his son.

"My father told me about the Dark Lord cursing me_._ Will you tell me what actually happened here?" he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it again right now. Can you ask Snape?" she answered him.

"He knows?" Draco asked panicked.

Hermione nodded saying simply, "I needed a stronger healing potion."

"Oh Merlin," he said in an even more horrified voice. "I didn't mean to..."

"I know, Draco," she said gently, "Snape explained the spell to me. I don't blame you, but I don't want to talk to you about it now. I want to take a bath and use the potions he gave me. Please go ask him." Seeing the distressed look on his face, she sighed and added, "Then come back to me." She handed him his wand and he flooed away.

When Hermione finished her bath a little while later, her body finally felt soothed. She dressed in an extra large T-shirt and sweatpants; she needed comfort clothes. The seventeen year old was desperately tired and wanted to curl up in bed. Grabbing her wand from the vanity, she unlocked the door and walked back into her room.

The Head Boy was sitting cross-legged on her bed waiting for her. He unfolded himself from his position and stood up next to the bed. Draco's eyes were a swirl of emotions and he was looking at her piercingly. The young witch had to look away.

"Hermione," Draco said softly, "Look at me." She brought her eyes to his, not able to resist his pleading tone. She saw his remorse and concern for her. "Snape explained the things that my father couldn't...like how and why you were able to save me. I can't take back what happened, but you have to believe I would never have hurt you on purpose."

She just nodded.

"I think... I love you too, Hermione," he said softly with a vulnerable expression. He'd never said the words to anyone except his mother, and he felt a little scared saying them to her.

Hermione's eyes widened and her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't answer past the tightness in her throat.

Draco stepped towards her and said, "I don't know if you can get past what I did, but I promise I'll never hurt your again." He opened his arms to her in invitation, but left the decision to her.

She _knew _that he wouldn't hurt her again, but couldn't stop her body from tensing. Her heart started beating faster, but she forced herself to hesitantly step nearer to him. Draco's arms closed around her and she shut her eyes taking a few deep breaths to calm her jitters. His arms didn't tighten, just clasped her gently letting her get used to him. She slowly relaxed into his embrace, feeling his warmth. It didn't hurt.

They stayed that way for a long time and Hermione tried to use _this_ moment to replace some of the images from earlier. Eventually, though, she swayed a little as exhaustion finally caught up with her. Draco easily supported her weight, tightening his hold upon her.

"Let's get you to bed," The blond boy told her tenderly. He helped her to the bed and drew back the covers for her. When she had settled herself, he tucked her in and kissed her upon her forehead. As he drew back, Hermione grabbed hold of his hand.

Gathering all of her Gryffindor courage she said, "Stay with me. I just want you to hold me tonight."

His silver eyes showed his wonder at her words and he wasted no time sliding in next to her. He gathered her small form close. Hermione was quite overwrought from the entire night, and finally began to weep quietly as he pulled her into his arms. She cried until she fell asleep, gaining comfort from the very boy who had been the cause of her pain.


	21. So It Begins

Chapter 21 So It Begins

_Last Chapter: Gathering all of her Gryffindor courage she said, "Stay with me. I just want you to hold me tonight." His silver eyes showed his wonder at her words and he wasted no time sliding in next to her. He gathered her small form close. Hermione was quite overwrought from the entire night, and finally began to weep quietly as he pulled her into his arms. She cried until she fell asleep, gaining comfort from the very boy who had been the cause of her pain._

Hermione cast curse after curse at Ron, Neville and Luna trying to get through the overlapping defenses that they spellsang against her. She nodded at Ginny, who threw a hex at Neville from behind. Luna saw the action and swung her wand up, neatly deflecting the stinging hex. Draco tried to take down Ron, who was concentrating on Hermione's attack, with a fire spell but Neville quickly countered it so that the redhead didn't have to turn his eyes away from the Head Girl. A bit of Draco's fire broke through though, missing Ron and singeing Luna's sleeve. The witch yelped in surprise.

Hermione threw up her hands, calling for a halt to the activities. She checked to see if Luna was all right, but Draco was already at her side pulling back her sleeve. He grinned at the Ravenclaw when he saw that there wasn't a mark on the her. Aside from Hermione, Luna was the group member with whom he felt the most comfortable. She accepted everything with such ease.

"Didn't mean to get you, Ducky," the Slytherin said with a sly sideways look at Ron, "I was just trying to even the odds. Those Gryffindors outnumber us already."

"Oi," grumbled Ron, "Get your hands off my girlfriend and don't call her Ducky!" The words were very, very disgruntled, but not particularly angry. Draco and Ron had come to an unwilling truce over the last month since school had resumed. Training together had given them a better understanding of each other, though Draco still took perverse pleasure in baiting the youngest Weasley brother.

"It's okay Ron," said Luna, "I like water fowl." She disengaged her arm from Draco's grasp with a sunny smile and went over to appease the Gryffindor by snogging him during the impromptu break.

Hermione narrowed her eyes a Draco, silently telling him to leave off of Ron. The ease with which he had become entrenched within their group still amazed Hermione. Maybe it was because he was on _his_ best behavior, or maybe it was just that the particular people who made up their group were extra forgiving. They had been horrified to find out what had happened to Draco's mother, who currently was in a magically induced coma and would have to remain so for another two weeks. Draco's worry over her had affected the other teens, especially Neville. But whatever the reason for their acceptance, the seven teenagers had come together into a cohesive group in an astoundingly short amount of time.

Turning to Harry, who had been watching from the sidelines, Hermione asked, "How did it look?"

"It was good, other than Draco's spell finding that hole between their shields. It worked better yesterday when they staggered the spells. Also, Ginny is on the outside, instead of inside throwing spells outward. That would have definitely made a difference. I still think our offensive-defensive pairings work best," Harry answered after some consideration.

Ron, who had stopped making out with Luna, nodded his agreement, but chimed in sourly, "Right you are, mate, but it _would_ end up me being stuck with Malfoy." Draco just smirked picturing endless opportunities to annoy the redhead. The others laughed, still amused by the clashes between Draco and Ron.

Through trial and error, the seven of them had worked out a number of different groupings so that they would have some flexibility when they actually had to go into battle. So far what seemed to work best were three pairs, consisting of a dual type of _spellsinger_ with a defensive fighter as a partner. They would revolve around Harry, who would mostly concentrate on sending out curses and hexes. The most magically compatible pairs seemed to be Hermione and Luna, Ginny and Neville, and oddly enough: Draco and Ron.

To the chagrin of the two young wizards, their seemingly opposite strengths and magical styles fit perfectly with each other. Draco's cold precise magic helped to ground Ron's impetuous, somewhat erratic spell casting style. Ron's intuitive decision making and attention to overall strategies forced the Slytherin to be aware of the whole group and not just his own personal battles. Together, they made a most formidable combination. The only drawback was that while they could merge their magic almost seamlessly, it was done amidst a continual snarking and bickering. Ron was constantly scowling and mumbling about Draco, while the blond had a perpetual smirk on his face.

"All right then," Hermione called out. "Let's try working in the offense-defense pairs. We've got another thirty minutes until curfew. Let's try Hide and Seek: Harry, you're with Draco and Ron against us four. We'll give you a minute to find a place. If we get Harry, we win. If you get _all_ of us, you win. "

"Hey," complained Harry, "that's not fair. We have the tougher job and less people."

"I know," said Hermione grimly, "but this isn't really just a game is it?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Draco and Hermione returned to their Common room after training, they went about their usual nightly routine. Hermione showered, brushed her teeth and got into her pajamas. When she got out of the bathroom, she climbed into bed with a book waiting for Draco. Since that first night that they spent in each others arms, the Head Boy and Girl had been sharing a bed. They hadn't been having intercourse; they had literally just been sleeping together.

Draco's room was completely different. Rather than pick through the damage, he had simply gotten the school elves to magic everything, except for a few prized personal possessions, away. When she'd asked him about it, he'd _s_imply said, " I don't want anything that reminds me of that night. I'm having new furniture and stuff purchased for the room." Hermione had nodded and thought wryly, _Having the Malfoy fortune must make it easy to take care of pesky details like that. _

Draco only went into his room to shower and change clothes. Hermione didn't go in there at all and probably never would again. On the second night, Draco had tried to sleep in his newly furnished room, only to be awakened by Hermione's screams. Wand drawn, he'd rushed into her room, only to find her in the midst of a nightmare. After he'd shaken the girl out of it, he'd offered to stay with her again. After two more repeats of the same scenario, they just gave in and began to start the night in the same bed. No one in the school knew of their arrangement. They actually both slept better when they were together.

"Hermione!" Draco shouted from the common room.

The witch jumped out of bed right away since his call had sounded urgent. Draco was hunched over, clutching his Dark Mark to his stomach. She could see it moving on his arm. This was the first time he had been summoned since the new year. She rushed to him, gripping his other arm to steady him.

"Fuck!" he hissed, looking at her in pain and growing panic. "I can't do this anymore."

"Yes, you can. You have to," she told him steadily, gripping his shoulders and looking straight into his eyes, "Don't fall apart on me now. I need you to get through this. Whatever happens, I'll be right here when you get back. You can do this."

"But, what if I try to hurt you ag..."

"I'll have my wand and I'll be ready," Hermione assured him. "Voldemort can't hurt _us_. You're strong enough to get through this. I know you can."

Her steadfast belief in him calmed Draco's nerves and strengthened his resolve. Taking a few deep breaths he straightened, gathering his composure around himself like a cloak. His witch stepped back from him, knowing he needed to distance himself from her physically and emotionally. She watched as Draco blanked his face and knew he was building the mental walls that he needed as a defense against prying minds. It still made the back of her neck tingle to see him completely mask his emotions so quickly; however, she was thankful that he could. He wouldn't have lasted this long without that skill.

Without another word to the concerned young woman, Draco left. As previously planned for just this event, Hermione used the Floo to call Dumbledore. Now it was his turn to reassure the top seventh year student.

Upon his return, Dumbledore had been troubled to hear what had happened in his absence. He had been searching for the fifth horcrux and had managed to locate and destroy it. The white haired wizard knew that what he had been doing was necessary, but what disturbed him was that he felt he had failed Hermione Granger again. Despite his constant vigilance towards all of his students' safety, the Head Girl had experienced more tragedies while under his care than was her fair share. His eyes serious as these thoughts went through his head, he turned to the witch whom he could see in his fire place.

"Have no fear, Miss Granger," the Headmaster told her, "I will intercept young Mr. Malfoy in Severus' quarters upon his return to Hogwarts. He will not be allowed to return to the Head Dorm or anyplace near the other students, until I have personally verified that there are no Dark curses on him." Hermione thanked the older wizard through the Floo and sat down to wait for her Draco. Though she tried to do some homework, her thoughts remained on her Slytherin ocunterpart.

_When Hermione had awoken first in the early afternoon on New Years Day, she lay next to a sleeping Draco watching him for some time. He was sprawled on his stomach with one hand under his pillow and the other by his face. He was breathing deeply, obviously deep in dreamland. Seeing him like this always made her feel softer towards him. She was glad that she had asked him to stay. She was a little nervous about what to say to him once he woke up, but she quelled the urge to get up and hide in the bathroom. She wasn't a Gryffindor by chance._

_As she continued to look at him, his eyes drifted open and he blinked sleepily a few times._

"_Hey," she said softly._

"_Good morning," he answered tentatively, rubbing his face and turning onto his side to face her._

"_More like afternoon," she said. Then not wanting to wait any longer, Hermione asked him quietly, "Did you mean what you said last night?"_

_Draco was silent for a moment then nodded saying, " Yeah...I think I have for a while now, but I tried to ignore it for a long time."_

"_Why?" she asked him._

"_Malfoys aren't supposed to fall in love with muggleborns," he stated plainly._

"_Does my blood matter so much to you?" she pressed him, needing to hear the truth._

"_It did...I don't know now... it's hard to explain," Draco struggled with how to frame his answer. "You're not how I was taught muggleborns are supposed to be. You're brave, smart, and so much more powerful than most purebloods I know. I was supposed to...it was easier to... hate you but then I came to _know_ you... You're everything I'm not. _You_ are forgiving, compassionate, caring. You're the best person I've ever met. I don't understand how you can be so good."_

"_So where does that leave us now?" Hermione asked him next, not quite reassured by his response, but willing to see what else he had to say._

"_I want to be with you. You make me feel like everything is going to be all right. I need you," he said without artifice._

_Hermione nodded, but said, "What about my needs? I'd like to start over, but I don't think I can...you know...sleep with you... for a long time." Her brown eyes had clouded as she said it. _

_Draco saw the look and promised rashly, "I'll wait for you and I won't hurt you. I promise I'll take care of you always."_

_The Gryffindor smiled at his vehemence. "So what do we do now?" she asked._

"_Do you want to tell anyone?" he asked, thinking about how she had wanted that last time._

_To his surprise, she had shaken her head. "We have to go on like we have before in front of the rest of the school. Voldemort will kill you if he knows you've betrayed him, and walking around with me on your arm is a pretty strong sign that you aren't on his side anymore. Besides, your father hates me. We need to keep this to ourselves for now."_

_In the end, she had also been the one to make the decision about not telling their training group about their new-old relationship. "It's enough for now that they know we're friends. Let's let everybody get used to you being one of us, before we spring this on them."_

Back in the present, Hermione waited at their desk doing some arithmancy problems in a desultory manner. She grew pensive, thinking about Draco. He was _hers_, but he wasn't exactly her boyfriend; that seemed too trivial a word. They didn't get to do any of the things that a teenage couple normally did. They didn't go on dates or walk the halls holding hands. They didn't write poetry or love letters to each other or give each other gifts. They didn't have sex or even make out too much, though there was good reason for that. They hadn't even really mentioned that they loved each other since the first night.

To the majority of the school, Hermione and Draco were still cool and professional in their dealings with each other. During classes and meals, they mostly appeared to ignore each other. During the evenings with their training friends, the two acted amiable with one another, but no more so than with everyone else. Only Harry occasionally caught a hint in their eyes that might have meant something more. Nobody suspected, however, how deep their feelings really ran for each other.

At any given time, no matter whom they were with, Hermione and Draco were always completely aware of what the other was doing. At night in their quarters, they spent as much time as they could within arms reach of each other even if they were just doing simple innocuous activities. Studying, reading, talking, practicing spells, or sleeping: the two just had to _be_ together. Their fears and worries were lessened by the presence of the other. When Hermione was with him, Draco's troubled spirit was soothed; he knew he could get through anything. With Draco, Hermione was healing; the loneliness, which nobody else had noticed since the loss of her parents, was eased. Their hearts knew what their mouths were still somewhat reluctant to say aloud. They didn't just love one another; they _needed_ each other.

When the Floo activated and Draco stepped through, she was surprised to see that only ninety minutes had passed. She got up with her wand in hand, still cautious despite Dumbledore's plan of action.

"I'm all right, love. The Dark Lord only called me in front of him for a few minutes. I spent most of the time with Dumbledore and Snape when I got back here. We had a lot to talk about and they made sure I was clean." Draco said tiredly. He tossed his wand onto the coffee table and held his hands palm up towards her.

Hermione stepped up to Draco and let him take her into his arms, though she was surprised by his use of the endearment. He treated her tenderly and with care, but he still had a difficult time speaking the words. The witch was even more startled when he took her mouth in a long passionate kiss. Up until now, he had been really careful when touching her to not be forceful or demanding. This kiss didn't frighten her, but she could feel more of his _want_ than he had allowed her to see in a long time.

"Please," he murmured, "Let me make love to you tonight. I'll make it so good for you, for both of us."

In response, she tensed slightly and drew her head back a bit. Seeing the desire and desperation in his eyes, she knew something was wrong.

"What happened tonight?" Hermione asked immediately.

"The Dark Lord gave me my new orders. I'm to open Hogwarts for him and the Deatheaters. We only have until the full moon before it's all over either way."


	22. Plans and Preparations

Chapter 22 Plans and Preparations

_Last Chapter: "Please," Draco murmured. "Let me make love to you tonight. I'll make it so good for you, for both of us." In response, she tensed slightly and drew her head back a bit. Seeing the desire and desperation in his eyes, she knew something was wrong. "What happened tonight?" Hermione asked immediately. "The Dark Lord gave me my new orders. I'm to open Hogwarts for him and the Deatheaters. We only have until the full moon before it's all over either way."_

About two weeks had passed, leaving only eight days until the February full moon. Hogwarts was running the same as usual on the surface, but there were undercurrents that disrupted the usual feeling of well-being that the students typically enjoyed.

The Slytherin table during meals was down to less than a quarter of the usual population. Beginning with just one or two a day, Slytherin parents had been arriving or owling in increasing numbers to withdraw their children. If the trend continued unabated, the House would be emptied within another day or two. This had also been happening to a lesser extent in the Ravenclaw house. They had lost about a quarter of their population. It didn't escape anyone's notice that the students who left were all from very traditional pureblood families.

On the brighter side, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Houses hadn't lost any members, even though there were many children of pureblood unions within those houses as well. The older teens glanced at each other meaningfully, as they noted the changes in the student body. The younger students didn't quite understand and whispered nervously, but the professors and older years calmed them, telling them that all would be well.

When Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were summoned to return home a day later, Draco went to see his two friends in the dorm room that they had shared in the dungeons up until this year. He knew neither had the Dark Mark as their fathers had taken great pains to hide their sons' incompetence from Voldemort. He predicted the Dark Lord would take them soon, regardless, to use as fodder in the coming battle. The Head Boy, more than anyone, knew their limitations; it would be a miracle if they were to last more than five minutes. They may have been dumb, but they had been _his_ dumb friends for a long time.

"Listen, Vin and Greg," Draco said to them, "there's something important I want you to do for me."

The two boys looked at him as attentively as they were able. This year Draco had been so busy, that they hadn't gotten to spend much time with him. They missed him telling them what to do; it was _really_ hard to figure things out on their own. They'd felt a little lost without his directions.

"Instead of going home, I want you both to go to Malfoy Chateau in France," he ordered them.

"Wha' for?" Crabbe asked thickly.

Draco thought quickly. "There's a very special magical rock buried in the gardens in the back. I need you to find it for me. It's about as big as a bludger and it's purple and orange. I only trust you two. Besides, Greg here is a rock expert."

Both boys beamed at him. Their own families treated them like they were idiots, but Draco here _trusted _them _and_ had called Goyle an _expert_. Of course they were going to do what he said! He was such a good friend and the smartest bloke they knew.

"Now this is really important, You can't tell _anyone_ where you are or I'll get in trouble," he said sternly. At their vigorous nods he continued, "Make yourselves at home in the Chateau. I'll let the elves know that you're coming. They make great food." The two boys grinned happily when they heard that.

"When'll you be coming over, Draco?" Crabbe asked him.

Draco had to swallow the lump in his throat, before replying, "I'll be there in a couple of months. If I don't show up, it probably means that you can go home. Just tell your families that I ordered you to go and you should be all right."

"S'okay, Draco," Crabbe answered agreeably. Greg just looked at his friend Draco, who was_ really_ nice this year, and put one of his favorite rocks into the blond boy's hand.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night in bed, Draco told Hermione what he had done. "They went straight to Provence from here. I checked with the house elves."

"You did a good thing, Draco," the witch said snuggling into his side. She didn't comment on the house elves because Draco had been doing something really generous.

Her lover gently stroked her hair as he turned sideways so that he faced her. This put his naked body flush with hers. He brought his hand down skimming it down her flank to rest it on her hip. He kissed her gently on the forehead.

"I couldn't just let them die and that's what would have happened to them. You and your friends may still hate them, but they've always been loyal to me," he told her.

"I don't really hate them. I never knew them well enough," Hermione said honestly. She hadn't felt a specific animosity towards those particular boys, as she saw them only as dimwitted followers. "I wonder what they would have been like if they'd been Hufflepuffs instead of Slytherins," she mused.

Draco laughed at that. "_I_ probably would of hexed the shit out them in first year."

"Yeah. _You_ probably would have," she agreed seriously, seeing the truth in his assessment of his younger self.

"Hey. You're supposed to disagree with me. I wasn't that bad," he huffed.

"Yeah," she repeated, "you definitely were!" She smiled at his indignation, knowing he was so much different from that spoiled eleven year old boy.

As if reading her thoughts, Draco said playfully, "Well, you're just lucky I'm good now. Let me show you just how good." He slid a little lower in the bed so that their faces were even and kissed her gently on the lips. She opened up for him and let him dip his tongue into her mouth. He reached down and drew her knee up over his hip, gently massaging her thigh as he tasted her. Hermione felt heat pool in her stomach at his actions.

_When Draco had asked her to let him make love to her that night, Hermione had weighed the fear she felt about sleeping with him again against the need she had seen in his eyes. Not the desire, but the desperation to hold onto what they had with so little time left. As she had always comforted him, she let herself do it again. This time though, with his help she also won the fight against her fears and put the memory of her rape to rest. _

_He had been patient, gentle and sweet, slowing down when she tensed or seemed afraid. To her surprise, it didn't take to much coaxing on his part to have her wanting him. Her heart and mind already trusted Draco; it was just her body that needed the reminder that being with him didn't have to be painful. He had been right; he'd made it good for her, for both of them. It had continued to be so each time they had made love since._

Looking into his silver eyes and sighing, Hermione let herself be swept away again by him. She kissed him on the neck as he dipped his hand between her legs to caress her gently. Finding that she was already wet for him, he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of him. He took her mouth in a searing kiss as he guided himself into her.

"Ride me," he told her with his eyes filled with passion. Hermione put her hands on his chest as she began to rock on him. He reached up to touch her everywhere that he could reach. As her pace increased, he groaned at the feelings coursing through him. When her breathing turned ragged, he pulled her down to kiss her sweet mouth. Holding her hips, he thrust upwards into her until they reached completion together.

He didn't even realize that he called out her name as he came. Hermione did though, and she held onto that memory as she fell asleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~

There were only three days left until the night of the full moon. All the Slytherin students, save Draco, were no longer in the school. The last few had left about two days ago, signaling the commencement of battle preparations. While the students were innocent enough, Dumbledore hadn't wanted to make any overt moves while there was the opportunity for their family members to unexpectedly ascend upon the school.

Once the coast was clear, Minerva McGonagall had quickly evacuated the younger students from the other houses to various safe locations to be kept under the watchful eyes of trustworthy fifth and sixth year students. All of the remaining seventh year students were determined to stay with the staff and fight Voldemort. As they were mostly of age, Dumbledore could not deny them.

At first Dumbledore had refused to allow any underage wizards or witches to stay for the upcoming battle. However, those affected by this mandate had almost had a rebellion of their own when they found out that Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood were going to be the exceptions to the rule. Rather than have students sneak back to fight like they threatened to do, the headmaster wisely decided to take the ones who wanted to remain and give them duties where they would have some protection. However, he declared that only students in the two upper grades could make that choice. The fifth years gave up when his normally twinkling eyes glared at them. Meekly, they all allowed the Head of Gryffindor House to shuttle them off to safety.

Of course, the staff and students were not expected to fight the final battle alone. As the Head of Gryffindor house had been moving the younger students out, others had been moving in. Order members, aurors, and Light side family members had been arriving covertly at the school to stay. There had been a few tearful scenes as parents held their young ones close before McGonagall _portkeyed_ them to safehouses. Those with sixth and seventh year children tried to convince their offspring to go also, but usually ended up just holding them tightly, knowing that they were needed in the coming fight. It was hard for some of the parents to see their babies as warriors for the Light.

The new troops were housed in the empty Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff dorms, as the remaining upper classmen were shuffled together into Gryffindor tower. Among those that had arrived were Tonks, Remus Lupin, Regis Brocklehurst, many of Hermione's auror friends, and the rest of the Weasley family except for Percy. All adults, except professors, were under strict orders to stay within the castle so they wouldn't be seen by any unfriendly eyes. No one wanted to alert the Deatheaters that their plan was known. Instead of a school full of scared children, there would be a force of fighters for the Light pouring out of the castle.

The Great Hall was bursting with battle plans and talk. Lupin and Tonks had news that gave those in the know a boost of confidence. The couple had located the sixth horcrux and brought it back with them. Dumbledore had destroyed it yesterday. The Order believed the only remaining horcrux was Nagini. Specific people had been assigned to take care of the snake at the beginning of the battle, whether it was at Hogwarts or left at the Deatheater hideout.

The sixth and seventh years sat together at the Slytherin table during meals discussing their assignments in the upcoming battle. Most of the sixth years were assigned orderly duty in the infirmary with Madam Pomfrey or to act as message runners within the castle. Some were assigned to guard more obscure parts of the school with a partner. If they saw Deatheater activity, they were to alert the adults with special communication mirrors, similar to the DA coins. Under no circumstances were they to engage the enemy. The seventh years knew they would be within the thick of battle. They were each assigned to groups and told to try to stay under cover as much as possible. The groups were assigned to various professors and adults to receive orders from.

During the day, the students were given the task of moving about outside at set times to give the illusion of school going on as usual. Other than that, they did not have particular duties. They actually had more freedom than ever since classes had actually been suspended. The adults were too busy with war plans to pay attention to the teenagers before the battle. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the teens enjoyed their current unsupervised state.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Some of the new forces did not take well to the sight of Draco roaming about the castle free. He was easily recognizable as a Malfoy, and there were those who refused to look past that. The Head Boy sat with the students at meal times. At first the others were wary about his presence, but the support given to him by his six fighting partners caused the others to give him a chance. He no longer had to hide his allegiance as there were no other Slytherins; many found him to be not as horrible as they had earlier judged. It went a long way that he hadn't tormented anyone this year and had done a credible job as Head Boy. His fellow students were flexible enough to accept him, but the prejudice of some of the adults was very apparent at times.

It was early in the morning and the tall blond was heading down to the Great Hall. Hermione had gone to the Library mumbling about some spell she needed and had told Draco that she would meet him for breakfast when she was done. He was walking down the hallway on the first floor, about to pass by three aurors who were lounging against the wall when he heard himself being called.

"You're Malfoy's spawn. What the hell are you doing here, boy?" an older auror said scathingly, as he stepped in front of Draco. The seventeen year old was taken aback at the hostility in the tone. _I thought these were the good guys?_

Draco blanked his face when he saw the malice in the older wizareds eyes. He looked the paunchy man up and down insolently and in his most aristocratic voice answered, "Who, pray tell, are you to ask?"

"Don't take that tone with me, boy," the man said turning red in the face. "You think you're better than us with your money. It can't buy your way out of this one. We'll have you and your Deatheater father in Azkaban in a couple of days. In fact we can take care of you right now." He looked at his buddies and they stepped up to flank him.

"You don't know what you're dealing with," Draco said expressionlessly. "Just let me by."

"Don't worry, we'll get Daddy soon," the man said with a nasty grin, "and your bitch of a mother." The three men drew their wands and were looking at the boy menacingly.

Draco drew his own wand and faced the three unwaveringly. _He had fucking stood before the Dark Lo... Voldemort...three has-been auror peons weren't going to make him run. _His temper had spiked when that _cretin_ mentioned his mother.

Draco watched their eyes shift to look at something behind him. He dreaded the gleeful look that crossed the leader's face. _Oh shit, who's behind me?_ The seventh year chanced a glance behind him and felt relief go through him. Rapidly moving towards him was a very angry looking group consisting of Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Neville. They all had their wands drawn.

"Looks like your classmates don't like you much eith-" the man's voice died and his eyes widened as Harry Potter came to a halt right next to Draco, pointing his wand at the three men.

The Boy Who Lived put his free hand on Draco's shoulder and without lowering his wand or looking away from the three aurors asked, "All right, mate?"

Draco simply nodded, not able to decipher the feelings running through his chest at the moment. Neville had come to stand at his left side. Ron and Ginny had taken up positions on either end. The five stood facing the three aurors as a clearly united entity.

The three aurors stared at the scar on Harry's forehead that distinctly identified him. They also glanced at Ginny and Ron. There was no mistaking what clan the two redheads belonged to.

Looking at the three gobsmacked aurors, Harry said to them, "Draco Malfoy is one of us. He's done more for the Light side than any of you lot, I'd wager. Now I'd suggest you get the hell out of our way."

"But...he's a Malfoy," protested the auror who had started it. The group of teens glared at him and he subsided.

"I said he's one of the good guys," snapped Harry. " Ask Kingsley if you doubt _me_. Now move. I won't say it again!"

On the last word, Harry squeezed Draco's shoulder, dropped his hand and strode forward. The rest of his companions went with him. The three aurors had to jump out of the way or risk being run over by the line of teenagers.

Draco aimed a smirk at the men when he passed them, but inside he was still reeling from what had just happened. He wasn't worried about the aurors; he knew the Malfoy name was hated in many quarters. But Harry Potter had just said he was _good _and the others had stood by his side. He wasn't alone any more; he had _real friends_. The smile on his face when he walked into the Great Hall was the first genuine one that most people had ever seen.

During breakfast, the boys and Ginny told the other two girls about the incident in the hallway. Luna had praised all of them profusely, nattering on about how their actions had probably attracted filliwubs, which would bring them luck in battle. Hermione had just smiled distractedly at them all, with a faraway look in her eyes. Throughout the meal, she kept glancing at Harry and frowning. Then she'd look at Draco with a look that he couldn't place. When he asked her about her strange mood, she tried to shrug it off.

"I'm just worried about the battle in two days," she said telling him mostly the truth. "I've got to go to the Library to research some extra defensive spells."

Draco didn't believe her completely but the Great Hall wasn't the place to discuss it. He watched as she stood up and made her way out of the room. He decided that he'd finish this discussion when they were alone tonight.


	23. All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 23 All Hell Breaks Loose

_Last Chapter: "I'm just worried about the battle in two days," she said telling him mostly the truth. "I've got to go to the Library to research some extra defensive spells." Draco didn't believe her completely but the Great Hall wasn't the place to discuss it. He watched as she stood up and made her way out of the room. He decided that he'd finish this discussion when they were alone tonight._

The day of the Battle of Hogwarts dawned cold and crisp. Hermione was alone in the Heads' Dorm studying a parchment that she'd painstakingly copied from an old manuscript in the library two mornings ago. She had about half an hour before she was to meet her friends in the Great Hall. Draco had gone down fifteen minutes ago to speak with Dumbledore, and she had waved him off saying she wanted to sleep in for a few minutes, since who knew when they'd get any rest after this. He'd kissed her gently and said he'd see her at breakfast.

Once he'd gone through the portrait, however, she'd quickly hopped out of bed and taken a shower. Now the witch stood in her bra and panties in front of the mirror holding the scroll with the most important spell that she would cast for today. She'd been in exactly this same spot three nights ago, when Draco had been meeting with Professor Snape. She still didn't see any difference in herself, but the spell she'd cast then had showed her what she needed to do for today's battle. She'd met every challenge so far with courage and she wasn't going to stop now.

It had taken only a short while in the library for Hermione to find what she was looking for. After all, as top student she was known to be an excellent researcher. Luckily, the spell wasn't even from a book in the restricted section. Apparently it had been commonly used in earlier times when the world was a more barbaric place. Though it wasn't intended for a full-out war, its forty-eight hour time limit should be enough for the duration of the battle. By the time the spell ran out, she would either be in a position to recast it or she would be dead at the hands of Deatheaters. Her friends needed her today, and she couldn't fail them.

Studying the parchment once more, she practiced the wand movements a few times without saying the incantation aloud. When she was satisfied that she could do it correctly, she set the parchment down on the bed and faced the mirror.

Raising her wand, the seventeen year old drew the proper figures in the air while saying strongly, "_Servo Insontis_." As she finished the last downward stroke of the spell, she pointed the tip of her wand at herself. A warm yellow mist sprang from her wand like a cloud and enveloped her lower two thirds of her torso. Hermione watched in the mirror as the vapor slowly sank into her skin.

She closed her eyes and she could feel a gentle warmth spreading throughout her middle. Knowing instinctively that the spell had worked, Hermione placed a gentle hand on her stomach.

"It's the best I can do for you," she whispered. The protective spell claimed to shield the baby from any kind of harm, baring the death of the mother.

Three days ago, she had come to the realization that she hadn't had her menses since before the holiday break. She hadn't even once considered that she could be up the duff. She hadn't had any morning sickness, nausea, or other symptoms. Of course, she had been tired lately, but they had all been. She had even lost a couple of kilos in the past few few weeks. Besides, Draco had always cast a contraceptive spell before they had made love.

However, being Hermione Granger, she had quickly gone where she always went when she needed answers. In the Library, she had searched for a pregnancy detection spell. Upon finding a reliable one, she had copied it down and waited for a moment of solitude to try it.

When that chance had come, she had been staggered by the positive result. Thinking back, she knew this child had to have been conceived on New Years. That was the only time there had been no contraception used. It didn't matter to Hermione, though; she had made her decision as soon as she saw the pink aura that indicated a true pregnancy. Regardless of how her_ baby_ had been conceived and the uncertainties of the immediate future, she would not destroy this new life. She loved the father and he loved her. Draco and she would love this child and be the best parents they could be.

However, she opted not to tell anyone until after the battle. Draco would immediately want her to sit it out. Harry would have no choice but to agree, not that he would really have argued. It would have been a huge shock to the team as nobody knew about her romantic attachment to Draco in the first place. She couldn't break up the group that they had put together. She wasn't being prideful, but she knew she was one of their strongest members. If by some slim chance they did let her fight once they found out, her friends would all be too distracted by her condition to do what they had to do. They wouldn't trust her to be at her best and worry too much for her safety. She refused to let herself become a liability to the group. This would have to remain a secret for now.

With nothing else to do, the Head Girl got dressed and headed downstairs to war.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Once Hermione arrived in the Great Hall, she saw that her friends were all there. They were drawing a few looks because of their outfits. The seven friends were dressed similarly, since they had made a decision about what they were going to wear into battle during a discussion yesterday.

_When Hermione had brought up the topic of how they were going to dress for the next day, Ron had rolled his eyes and joked about now she finally decides to be a girly witch. She'd glared at him and just asked the question again._

_Draco had looked at her puzzled. "I don't know. Wizard robes I guess." Neville, Ron and Ginny had shrugged and nodded. _

_Harry had looked at her with raised eyebrows. He knew how her mind worked and there had to be a reason behind her query. "What are you thinking, Mione?"_

"_Well in wizard robes, it's hard to run and maneuver. They're too easy to grab and they get caught on things. If we want to be effective, we can't be worrying about picking up our hems if we have to really move. Wizards robes are great if you want to swoop down on people in class like Snape. However, wearing something more practical for war may be in order," she explained._

_Harry had thoughtfully nodded his head. "You mean like DPMs: combat trousers and the like?"_

_Hermione had nodded in satisfaction, "Exactly Harry."_

The others had been skeptical at first, being used to wizarding traditions and all of that. However, once they tried on the clothes, they were quite satisfied with how free they felt in them. Their outfits were similar to the battle uniforms worn by the muggle army. They consisted of DPM battle trousers and field smocks, black t-shirts,and combat boots. Draco had wanted plain black everything, but had been voted down. They didn't want anyone to mistake them for Deatheaters. Luckily, being wizards, they were able to put warming charms upon themselves to alleviate the need for heavy over jackets. Draco, Luna, and the Weasleys also had dark caps tucked into their pockets. Once it was night, their bright hair would draw enemies like beacons.

The younger crowd thought the clothes were fabulous. After hearing why the seven of them had chosen that particular apparel, many of the other students promptly transfigured their wizarding clothes into close approximations of the camos. The older wizards and witches just shook their heads and looked at them askance.

Draco had never gotten the opportunity to ask Hermione about her strange mood two mornings ago. That night when he had intended to speak with her, he and Snape had been called to Voldemort's side again. He come back alone since Snape had not been allowed to return to Hogwarts. Draco had to report his specific orders for the attack to their commanders, and had ended up being closeted with Dumbledore, Kingsley, and Lupin until the early hours of the morning. He had slept until mid-afternoon the next day and the rest of the time had been filled with last minute training and strategies.

Last night everyone had all retired early. Draco and Hermione, like many other couples hadn't talked much once they were alone. They had made love as if there were no tomorrow, which in fact there might not be. Then they had held each other close until sleep finally overtook them.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The full moon shone over Hogwarts and it looked like a nightmare had come to life. Parts of the castle were burning and other areas had been reduced to rubble. Draco's instructions from Voldemort had been to drop the school wards, so that the Deatheaters could Apparate into the castle. Snape had assured the Dark Lord that he would arrange for Dumbledore to be away from the castle. He would then provide the Malfoy heir with the password and means to disable the wards from the headmaster's office.

The leaders of the Light forces made a plan to temporarily take down the wards allowing their enemies in, but then they would raise the wards again trapping the Dark fighters within the boundaries of the school. They spread their forces throughout the castle and grounds planning to surprise the attackers. It was a good plan, but the Dark Lord, of course, never does exactly what one anticipates.

The instant Dumbledore made the wards go down, hoards of Deatheaters appeared as expected. What was not foreseen were several loud explosions that rocked the very ground. Gryffindor Tower exploded in a rain of stone and magical fire. If the students hadn't been evacuated, they would surely have perished. The tower with the Headmaster's office collapsed in upon itself. Whether or not Dumbledore survived was unknown; no one had seen the old wizard since he had gone to take care of the wards. The Astronomy tower disintegrated and various outer walls of the castle were breached. Hagrid's hut and the green houses began to burn as well. The night was lit with flickering light from the fires and the smell of smoke filled the air.

Voldemort had ordered certain higher level Deatheaters to use the initial moments when the school was unprotected, to unleash explosive spells on specific targets. Snape, Lucius, and Draco were not among those privy to the orders. Apparently, the Dark Lord hadn't planned on Draco surviving after completing his task; his tomb would have been the rubble of the headmaster's tower.

The damage to the physical structure of the castle was so severe that the wards could not have been brought back up, even if they could have been set from somewhere other than the Headmaster's office. Now Deatheaters were free to Apparate wherever they pleased throughout Hogwarts, except for where individual room wards were set up.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione and Luna were running through the halls of the castle making their way outside to where the rest of their friends were. The battle had been raging for what seemed like hours and they had gotten separated from their group about forty five minutes ago. Working as a team just like they had practiced, Luna kept a defensive shield around the two of them as Hermione shot curse after curse at any Deatheater that they came across. They had captured four enemies already, and had barely a scratch on themselves. They were tiring, but each had strengthening potions within their pockets. It had been Neville's idea to carry individual tubes of helpful potions with them. Each of the seven fighters were like walking mini-apothecaries.

They rounded a corner and saw Padma and Parvati Patil standing back-to-back above the prone body of Lavender Brown. Two Deatheaters were approaching them and laughing sinisterly. Hermione quickly _stupefied _the two men from behind and then the two girls efficiently followed protocol for captured Deatheaters. While Hermione snapped their wands, Luna tied them up using _Incarcerous. _Pulling off their hoods, Hermione and Luna found two older men that they had never seen before. Each taking a necklace provided by the aurors from her pocket, the girls draped them around the men's necks. Both teens said the activating word "pineapple" and the men disappeared as they were portkeyed to individual cells in Azkaban.

With the Deatheaters taken care of, the partners turned to their three friends. Parvati was kneeling beside Lavender, stroking her hair. The girl's eyes were staring sightlessly at the ceiling. Padma was leaning against the wall cradling her left arm, which appeared to be broken. She seemed to be going into shock. Luna went to her fellow Ravenclaw and pulled a tube with pain potion from one of her pockets.

"Oh, Lav," whispered Hermione mourning for her loving, if rather silly, year mate. She pulled Parvati up, hugging her. "Get up Pav, your sister needs you. We can't help Lavender now."

Parvati nodded, tears in her eyes. She stooped to close Lavender Brown's eyes and then went to Padma and helped support her. Hermione's heart ached.

"You have to get her to Madame Pomfrey. The wards are down except for in the infirmary. _Side-apparate_ her to that alcove in the hall outside of it. They have guards posted. They'll help you once you identify yourself. Can you do it?"

The uninjured twin nodded. "Are you coming, Mione?"

"No, we have to find Harry."

"Stay safe," Parvati said. With one last look at her dorm mate's body, she and her sister were gone.

"Put on your cap, Luna," ordered Hermione. "We're going to _apparate_ outside." When the the blond had complied, Hermione grabbed the other girl's arm saying, "Keep your wand ready." With a sharp CRACK, the two disappeared just like the Patil sisters had.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco was blasting away at a group of five Deatheaters along the edge of the Lake. Ron was behind him providing cover for him and trying to send shield charms towards two injured aurors that the Deatheaters had pinned down behind a small stand of rocks. Draco had dropped two of the bad guys, but just wasn't able to get a clear shot at the others while he dodged _Unforgivables_. Suddenly, Ginny, Neville and Harry appeared out of the smoke. Between the five of them, they were able to incapacitate the remaining enemies.

After disarming and sending the unconscious Deatheaters to the prison isle, they turned as a group to search for Luna and Hermione. One of the aurors they had saved hailed Draco. Looking at the honest gratitude in the eyes of the very same wizard who had accosted him in the hallway a couple of days ago, Draco knew he had changed at least one person's perceptions of the Malfoys.

The five of them had managed to mostly stay together since losing Hermione and Luna. They had been fighting whatever groups of Deatheaters that had come their way through the chaos. The majority of them had been sent to Azkaban, but a few had been killed in the heat of the battle. The teenagers hadn't suffered any injuries that couldn't be fixed with a simple _Episky _or one of their portable healing potions.

Heading back towards the Forbidden Forest, they caught sight of Luna and Hermione. The two girls were standing a few feet apart from each other holding their own against a couple of the masked maniacs, when a large dark shape suddenly sprang out of the shadows straight at Hermione's back. At Luna's shout, the Head Girl spun around to face the new threat. Luna's shouted_ Levicorpus_ missed the pouncing figure, but luckily struck the original Deatheater that Hermione had been fighting. With him up in the air, Luna turned back just in time to dodge a green flash of light from the one targeting her.

Draco watched in horror as the werewolf collided with the Hermione, who tried to dodge to the side. Both of them fell to the ground not moving. He and the others ran towards the two girls. With a sharp gesture from Harry, they split up to assist both of their friends. The two Weasleys headed towards Ron's girlfriend and quickly turned the tables on her attacker. He went down in a blast of light from an enraged Ron. Neville ran to the Deatheater hanging upside down. Casting _Silencio _and_ Acio wand_ at the wizard, Neville then ended the spell with a muttered _Liberacorpus_. Voldemort's minion came down none to gently on his head knocking himself unconscious. After throwing portkey necklaces around the Deatheaters' necks, there was two less fighters for the Dark Lord.

Harry and Draco reached Hermione's side just in time to see the werewolf's senseless body fly up off of her and land with a thud. Draco grabbed her and ran his hands up and down her body to see if she was hurt. Harry quickly got rid of the wolf with another portkey.

"I'm fine," Hermione exclaimed, "just a little bit squashed. I _stupified_ it while it was in the air, but it's momentum carried it into me. I was able to cast _Declino Contego_ so I wouldn't get scratched by its claws or teeth, and the shield held up most of the weight."

"You scared the shit out of me, love," he told her quietly. Harry turned in time to hear the last bit of the conversation, but filed the comment away. He'd ask them about it later, if there was a later.

"C'mon. Everyone take a strengthening potion and pair up," Harry ordered, calling them back together. "Let's find that bastard and end this."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Finding Voldemort wasn't as hard as they had thought, once Harry set his mind to the task literally. His scar had started to burn and he knew Tom Riddle was looking for him too. Closing his eyes, he just _felt_ that the dark wizard was just ahead towards the quidditch field.

His six friends arranged themselves around him. Draco took a position to the left of him with Ron slightly behind him. Hermione and Luna guarded his right side mirroring the boys' positions. Ginny and Neville brought up the rear, facing outward guarding everyone's backs. Moving as they had practiced, they created a magical barrier around Harry to get him to the battle he had been preparing for these past years.

"Tom Riddle!" screamed Harry, "I'm coming for you."

Cresting a small rise, they came to the open field where the Dark Lord waited. There were others battling around them, but Harry paid them no attention. His whole being was focused on the man who had killed his parents and filled his nightmares. Draco, Hermione, and Ginny began to _spellsing_ taking out any Deatheaters that attempted to stop the group. The other three _spellsang _a complex assortment of protective spells that wove a variety of shields around the whole group. They effectively blazed a path through all opposition. At last, they arrived near the center of the field. Voldemort faced them not more than 20 meters away.

"Harry Potter," the Dark Lord hissed, "You join your parents tonight." He raised his wand and yelled, "_Avada Kedavra._" A green blast of light shot toward Harry.

Harry spellsang, "_Expelliarmus – I__mpedimenta__ – Sectumsempra," _as he dove and rolled to the side. The green jet rebounded from Harry's first spell and Voldemort was forced to jump to the side to avoid it. He stumbled as the second curse hit him, which actually saved him from worse harm as the cutting curse only sliced across his back and arm.

Facing Harry with a rage filled face he shouted, "_Crucio!_" Harry fell to the ground writhing.

Hermione cast a fire spell at Voldemort to break his concentration, while Draco and Ron threw a double layered shield up between Harry and his nemesis. Voldemort snarled at their interference, dissipating the fire with a wave of his wand.

Voldemort yelled, "_Confringo," _this time aiming at Harry's companions. Luna, Neville, and Ginny countered by _spellsinging_ a multi-layered shield in front of all of them. It exploded into flames as the spell hit it and collapsed, but at least none of the magical fire touched the teens.

By this time, Harry was up again. He faced Voldemort and was about to attack again when suddenly there were two pops as Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape appeared on the field. While they wore Deatheater robes, neither was masked. Both looked as if they had been involved in a battle also. Malfoy was bleeding from a wound on his head, and Snape's face was scraped raw on one side. Lucius clutched something wrapped in his robes with one hand. Voldemort laughed malevolently when he saw them.

"My loyal followers," he ordered the two men, indicating Harry's companions, "kill these insolent creatures."

"I think not," answered Malfoy in his arctic aristocratic voice. "We've brought you a present, _Lord_." He pulled the wet cloth bundle from the folds of his cloak and threw it at Voldemort. It hit the ground and opened showing Nagini's severed head.

"Apostates," Voldemort hissed in outrage, "I've already killed your son, Malfoy. I'll kill you both now, then your traitorous lines will be wiped from the face of the Earth forever."

Lucius had blanched at his first words, whispering, "Draco." Snape had to knock him down as he made no move on his own to avoid the_ Unforgivable_ that Voldemort cast at them.

Draco pulled off his black cap revealing his platinum hair. "You didn't succeed, you bastard!"

Voldemort looked at him with hatred. Before he could say anything else, Harry Potter stepped in front of Draco saying, "Let's end this now, Tom."

"_Avada Kedavra_"

"_Expelliarmus_"

The two spells shot from the ends of the two wands and met in midair. A bridge of magic, half green and half gold, formed between the two wizards seeming at first to be made of equally balanced forces from both sides. However, sweat broke out on Harry's forehead as the green light began to inch towards him.

To his right, Hermione suddenly pointed her wand at Harry and switched her _spellsong. _She started to _sing_, "_Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus - Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus-" _over and over. The gold light steadied and moved to again match the green. Draco and Ginny aimed their wands at Harry and joined in Hermione's chant. The gold crept towards the green side. Luna stopped _spellsinging _defensive charms and joined the chanting of the first three. The gold again pushed the green back further.

Ron and Neville glanced at their friends knowing they were needed, but loathe to end their only defensive magic since the group was still surrounded by hostile Deatheaters. Seeing their dilemma, Snape and Lucius ran to them and placed themselves between the teens and the other Dark Forces. Lucius had come out of his stupor the moment he had heard Draco speak. Ron and Neville immediately dropped their shields and joined the _spellsong _that Hermione had started.

"_Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus - Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus - Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus - Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus -Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus - Certamen Vox - Suo Veneficus-"_

Harry screamed as everyone's power channeled through him to fuel his initial spell. The gold light seemed to thicken and pulse with the added magic. In a sudden burst, it flew toward Voldemort pushing his own spell back at him and engulfing him in a green, then gold light that blinded everyone for a few seconds. When the brightness faded, Voldemort was on the ground, a withered empty husk.

Everything seemed to stop for a minute, then three things happened simultaneously. A cheer went up from those on the side of the Light. About half the remaining Deatheaters dropped their wands in disbelieving surrender. The other Dark wizards, the smarter ones, _Apparated _away in a cacophony of loud cracks and pops.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Authors Notes:

_Servo Insonti_s - Protect the Innocent

DPM – Disruptive/Displacement Pattern Material

_Declino Contego – _Deflective Shield

_Certamen Vox -_ Combine Powers

_Suo Veneficus - _Join Magic


	24. After The Battle

Chapter 24 After The Battle

_Last Chapter: When the brightness faded, Voldemort was on the ground, a withered empty husk. _

_Everything seemed to stop for a minute, then three things happened simultaneously. A cheer went up from those on the side of the Light. About half the remaining Deatheaters dropped their wands in disbelieving surrender. The other Dark wizards, the smarter ones, Apparated away in a cacophony of loud cracks and pops._

After defeating Voldemort, four of the seven friends experienced some kind of backlash from the spells that they had cast at Voldemort in the battle's final moments. Ginny and Luna both collapsed into unconsciousness shortly after the spell broke. Neville was forced to sit down on the ground as he suffered a severe bout of dizziness and weakness. Ron felt extremely nauseous and complained of a pounding headache, but managed to keep to his feet. Draco, Hermione and Harry felt really fatigued from the battle, but appeared in perfect health otherwise. Concerned for their friends, however, the three made the decision to take them and leave the battleground. Others could take care of the surrendered Deatheaters and the aftermath of the battle.

Alerting Snape of their intentions, they had immediately _apparated_ to 12 Grimmauld Place. Draco carried Luna; Harry held on to Ginny; and Hermione had supported Neville while leading a stumbling Ron to the safety of the unplottable house. The two youngest girls had woken up within an hour of arriving at Grimmauld Place to the faces of their concerned friends surrounding the couches on which they lay. Everyone had sighed in relief that the two girls were able to speak coherently. They both expressed the desire to just go back to sleep. At this point, everyone was too tired to seek out bedrooms upstairs, so Harry just transfigured the two couches into a gigantic mattress. The other five just climbed on and fell into an exhausted slumber with their friends.

A loud exclamation awoke them at about noon the next day. Professor McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey had arrived to make sure the members of the group were all right. The Head of Gryffindor House was shocked to see the seven teens curled together like a pack of puppies. They sat up slowly under her glare and sheepishly untangled themselves from each other. Madame Pomfrey hid her smile, knowing her longtime colleague had a strict sense of propriety. She hadn't missed that the teens were still completely dressed in yesterday's clothes and it was obvious that they had just_ slept._

The mediwitch checked the four who had suffered the ill effects and said that they would be fine. It seems that their magic levels had been depleted with the final _spellsong_ and just needed some time to come back up. The other three teens had naturally stronger magical resources, so hadn't suffered the same reaction. She advised them all to stay together and rest. There was much to be done, but the seven of them had earned a break for a little while longer. They were happy to follow her instructions for once.

Once the two adults had left, the teenagers wandered upstairs to get cleaned up. By the time everyone was showered and dressed, fabulous smells were wafting throughout the house and a couple of new arrivals were waiting for them in the kitchen. Apparently the professor had alerted someone about the need for chaperones, because they found Molly Weasley cooking up a feast of breakfast foods when they entered. Remus Lupin was sitting in a chair at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

Molly hurried over to take first Ginny and Ron into her ample arms for a good long hug. She held her two youngest children close for a long moment. Releasing them, she turned to give the same treatment to Harry, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Draco. The last was quite at a loss to find himself being tightly squeezed by the Weasley matron, but found himself enjoying the maternal affection from the woman whom he used to think of as overblown and crass.

She hustled all of them to the table, derailing all questions by ordering them to eat. During the meal, Lupin told them what was currently going on at Hogwarts. He told how the Deatheaters, who had surrendered, had been taken to Azkaban to await trial. He told how the severely wounded were transferred from the Infirmary and battlefield to St. Mungo's Hospital. He told how many were still trying to comb the castle and search the grounds for people who were missing and unaccounted for, including Dumbledore. He told them how teams of aurors and order members were already tracking the Deatheaters that had escaped. Snape and Lucius were assisting in in this endeaver by figuring out which of Voldemort's minions weren't among the captured or dead.

Lupin described how Minister Fudge finally had brought officials to the school this morning, though all the aurors and many good people had been there throughout the battle. At least they had helped stop the fires and made an initial assessment of the state of the school. Hogwarts was so damaged that it wouldn't be opened again this year and maybe not even by September. Fudge had blustered about how shocking it all was and how he hadn't believed that You-Know-Who had really returned. Most everyone had ignored the sweating man, who must have realized that he would not be the Minster of Magic for much longer.

Once everyone had finished eating, and when they could avoid it no longer, Lupin and Molly told the seven the worst news. They finally talked about those who had died during the battle.

"Who?" Harry asked for the information that everyone wanted to hear, but no one had wanted to ask about.

Molly had tears in her eyes as she looked at Ron and Ginny and said, "Charlie and Fred."

Ron jumped up with his fists clenched, "What? No!" Luna went to him and put her arms around him.

Ginny started to cry silently, so Harry pulled her from her chair onto his lap. Molly herself started to cry and it was some time before anyone talked again. Surprisingly, it was Draco who went to her and offered the solace of a hug as she sobbed. Hermione looked at him gratefully.

"How's George?" Hermione wanted to know, worried about her friend.

"Bill and Arthur are with him in the Infirmiry at Hogwarts," Lupin told them soberly. "He needed to be sedated. He was out of his mind with grief after Fred was killed."

Lupin then filled them in on who they had confirmed as dead and who were still missing, presumably somewhere within the destroyed sections of the castle or in the Forbidden Forest. It was lucky that they had already eaten, because no one had an appetite for the rest of the day. The seven teenagers went to the living room and huddled together on the couches, mourning their dead, but gaining comfort from the fact that _they_ were together. Even amidst the sorrow, everyone felt they could get through this because they were with each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, Molly insisted that they all find rooms upstairs to sleep in. Harry took over the master bedroom; Ron and Neville bunked together, leaving Draco with a small single. Ginny and Hermione were put in the same room that they had always shared, which gave Luna her own room. Of course there was a bit of shuffling after Molly had gone to bed in her room at one end of the hallway. Lupin hadn't stayed the night, leaving after he had made sure they hadn't needed anything.

Ron and Ginny met each other in the hallway outside of her room as they were sneaking to the rooms belonging to Luna and Harry, respectively. Ron glared at his little sister, but couldn't raise his voice for fear of waking their mother. She just narrowed her eyes at him and whispered, "It's not like I'm doing anything different than you." Ears red, Ron looked hard at her, wanting to argue. Impulsively, Ginny hugged him and whispered, "It's okay. Harry loves me and I need to be with him tonight." Finally, Ron hugged her back, nodding his understanding. He felt like he _had_ to be with Luna. He went on his way, but was determined to have a talk with his best friend the next day.

On the other side of the door, Hermione held her breath. She waited for a few minutes after she heard the siblings move away before opening the door to seek Draco. To her surprise, he was just outside about to knock on her door. With a knowing smirk he said, "I just saw little red heading into Harry's room, so I knew you'd be alone."

Drawing him into the bedroom, Hermione pulled him close. The two of them celebrated that they were alive in the most basic way that a man and a woman can. For a night at least, they were able to forget about the lives that were lost and revel in their love for each other.

The next morning, Hermione awoke to Draco slipping out of bed and putting his clothes back on. He kissed her quickly and told her he didn't want to get caught by Mrs. Weasley. He must have had a clairvoyant premonition, because not ten minutes later a loud yell was heard. Hermione opened her door to see what the ruckus was about. Neville and Draco were sticking their heads out of their own rooms as well.

"Ronald Bilus Weasley," screamed a scandalized Mrs. Weasley into the open doorway across the hall. "Get your clothes on and get out of that bed! There will be no more shenanigans like that." When she saw Hermione in the doorway, she narrowed her eyes. "Where's Ginny?"

The smartest witch of her age looked at the furious woman and brilliantly answered, "Uh...uh..."

Mrs. Weasley looked past her into the room and saw that only one bed had been occupied last night. "Ginevra Molly Weasley," she yelled even louder. "Get yourself out here right now!"

Down at the opposite end of the hallway, Harry's bedroom door opened and out stepped Ginny in her pajamas. Not willing to leave her to take the blame alone, Harry followed behind her and took her hand in his. Molly opened her mouth to scream at the pair, but Harry forestalled her calmly.

"Molly, I know you're mad, but I love Ginny. I am going to marry her, you know." Harry voice was steady, but he looked pleadingly at the woman who had been his mother for the last seven years. Ginny gasped and threw her arms around him.

Molly's mouth dropped open in surprise and her eyes filled with tears. Ron and Luna had come to the door of her room by this time. Ron saw his mother's reaction to that news and knew Harry had disarmed her anger. Wanting to get himself out of the doghouse, he said the first thing that popped into his head.

"I want to marry Luna too, Mum," he said rashly. When he realized what he had said, he turned bright red and looked at the girl next to him.

Luna just smiled at him imperturbably and said, "Of course I'll marry you, Ronald. I've always known that I would someday. I just thought it would take you years to get around to asking." She patted his arm approvingly.

Molly's eyes became even brighter with tears, but she said in a non-nonsense voice, "That's absolutely wonderful, but until those vows are said, you will all be sleeping alone!"

So with a few swift orders, Molly had Ginny and Luna rooming together and Hermione found herself in possession of Luna's vacated single.

"You two are both underage. I will be warding your door each night and will know if you leave or if a male enters. Believe me, you do not want to see what I will do if that happens," she told them ignoring the horrified expressions of not just them, but Harry and Ron also. Turning to Hermione she added contritely, "I'm sorry you lose your roommate, Hermione. I know how you love sharing with Ginny."

"It's all right Mrs. Weasley," Hermione said trying to hide her laughter. "I got used to my own sleeping arrangements as Head Girl."

When no one else was looking, Draco smirked straight at Hermione. _He_ really liked the new situation.

~*~*~*~*~*~

That afternoon, the seven returned to Hogwarts against Molly's wishes to see what they could do to help. They were greeted by the ministry workers and others there with awe and wonder. The teens were somewhat disconcerted by their reception since they felt they had just done what they had to do to keep each other alive. There were reporters from the Daily Prophet and other newspapers snapping pictures and calling them the "Seven Saviors of the Wizarding World". Finally, Professor McGonagall found them and had some of the aurors throw the reporters off of the property. Then she led her pupils into the school to the relative seclusion of an empty classroom which she was using as an office.

She told them how proud she was of them and that Dumbledore also would have been so, had he survived.

"He's really dead?" Harry asked, grief showing in his eyes and voice.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Potter. We found him yesterday evening. It appears that he was killed immediately when his tower collapsed," the professor told them sorrowfully. They all sat quietly for a few moments thinking of the man who had been their mentor for so long. Finally, the Head of Gryffindor broke the silence.

"There isn't much you can do here for me right now, but I know where you could be of help. Kingsley could use your skills to hunt Voldemort's followers who were able to get away," she told them, "and Madame Pomfrey needs some assistance in the infirmary caring for those who weren't brought to St. Mungo's."

The seven conferred. Harry, Ron, and Draco wanted to talk to Kingsley. Hermione's first instinct was to go with the boys, but thoughts about the baby made her decide to seek out Madame Pomfrey with the others instead. When she mentioned her wish to help the healers, the boys looked at her oddly as she had never really been that interested in healing before.

"It's just that I don't know too much about healing. I'm sure I could learn a lot," she announced, making up the excuse on the spot.

"Mione," Harry said, "we need your fighting expertise more. You're the best of us. Come see Kingsley with us. You can learn to heal later if you want to."

Hermione couldn't really argue without letting everyone know about the baby. She really wanted to tell Draco first, so acquiesced to their wishes.

McGonagall nodded approvingly at their choices and told the first four where to find the Head Auror in the castle. She told them to take care if they went to other areas of the school, as they didn't know how structurally sound all the parts were. Taking their leave of the new Headmaster, the group parted after agreeing to meet in the Infirmary in a few hours. This would give the rest of them the chance to see George, and try to convince him to come back to Grimmauld Place with them.

As Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione passed a particular hallway on the way to the classroom where the aurors had set up a temporary base, the lone girl stopped.

"I'll catch up with you. I want to see if anything is left of the Head Dorms," she told them.

Draco announced that he wanted to go with her, so the two headed cautiously down the hall towards their old home. Signs of battle were visible here. There were scorch marks on the walls and they skirted around a particularly gruesome, stained patch of stone floor. When they arrived at the portrait, it was open and the picture was empty. Going into their common room, they saw that it hadn't been disturbed at all, as if the battle had just bypassed it. They each headed toward their bedroom to see if their stuff was salvageable as well.

When Hermione opened her door, she gasped as she saw that her room had not escaped the destruction. One of the initial explosions must have occurred on this side of the castle, because the French doors and part of the wall were gone, along with half of the floor and the balcony. Hermione didn't want to go in further because she recalled McGonagall's warning. However, she was glad to see that her school trunk was untouched along the inside wall. It was where she had kept many of her personal keepsakes such as muggle and wizarding picture albums and her bracelet from Draco. She efficiently shrunk the trunk and used _Accio_ calling it to her to place in her pocket.

Draco came up behind her and whistled when he saw her room. He said, "My room was fine. The doors to the balcony were shattered, but everything else was all right. I've got all my clothes and stuff in my pocket. Do you want me to go in there and get any of your stuff for you?"

She smiled up at him, "I'm a witch, silly. I _accio'd_ the important stuff, though I'll need new clothes." She indicated the gaping hole where her armoire had once stood.

Draco waggled his eyebrows and grinned mischievously saying, "Well, I won't mind if you want to walk around naked."

She smacked his arm playfully. "You're a pervert!" she said, though she laughed as she said it.

Draco put his arms around her and drew her in for a long kiss. She put her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through the hair at the base of his skull. When the kiss was over, she leaned back and looked at him, while he kept his arms around her.

"I have something important to tell you, Draco," she began a bit nervously, "I'm going to ha-"

"Draco!"

The cold voice interrupted her sentence and the two teens jumped away from each other startled. Turning to the voice, they saw Lucius Malfoy standing just inside the portrait hole.

"Father? What are you doing here?" Draco asked, recovering his composure quickly.

"Potter said you were here. I came to tell you that the mediwitches are going to bring your mother out of her coma today and you are to come to St. Mungo's with me," the Malfoy patriarch told his son in a commanding voice. "Leave the..._young lady_ here, and let's go."

"I'll come with you, but first we'll take Hermione to the auror's meeting room," Draco answered his father in a voice just as hard. "It's still not completely safe here. She shouldn't be alone."

Lucius narrowed his eyes at his son, but nodded curtly. He looked disgustedly at Hermione and she shivered at the disdain in his eyes. He turned and stalked out of the portrait hole as only a Malfoy could.

"Don't worry," Draco said, squeezing her hand, "It'll be okay. What did you want to tell me?"

"It's nothing. I'll tell you later," Hermione answered thinking that Lucius might still be able to hear them.

Looking once more at the destruction of her room and thinking about the animosity in his father's eyes, she shivered and walked out of the Head Dorm with Draco for the last time.


	25. Making Connections

Chapter 25 Making Connections

_Last Chapter:"Don't worry," Draco said, squeezing her hand. "It'll be okay. What did you want to tell me?" __"It's nothing. I'll tell you later," Hermione answered thinking that Lucius might still be able to hear them. Looking once more at the destruction of her room and thinking about the animosity in his father's eyes, she shivered and walked out of the Head Dorm with Draco for the last time._

_...Lavender Brown, 17 (Student); Cho Chang, 18 (Apprentice Healer); Albus Dumbledore, 153 (Headmaster, Order); Regis Brocklehurst, 20 (Auror); Justin Finch-Fletchley, 17 (Student); Oliver Wood, 21 (Quidditch Player); Terry Boot, 17 (Student); Hannah Abbott, 17 (Student); Pamona Sprout, 74 (Professor); Fred Weasley, 19 (Store Owner, Order), Charlie Weasley, 24 (Dragon Trainer, Order)..._

Hermione's eyes were drawn to the familiar names, but those weren't the only ones on the sheet. The list went on and on, naming those on the Light side who had been killed during what was becoming known as the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione saw names of aurors that she had trained with. She recognized the surnames of others, who must be family members of her classmates. She didn't know some of the names on the list; they were just people who had answered the call to fight against the most feared dark wizard in history, in spite of the denials issued by the Minister of Magic about his return. The seventeen year old Gryffindor thought that those were the real heroes.

Hermione stopped reading, her mind not wanting to believe that all these people were gone. Kingsley had said that though the Light had won, it was at a heavy cost. The portkey necklaces were a device of the their side only. Voldemort's forces hadn't bothered trying to capture anyone; they had killed all who stood against them. That meant while the majority of Deatheaters were imprisoned in Azkaban, there were woefully few trained Light wizards and witches left to capture the ones on the loose. Hermione put down Kingsley's list and returned her attention to the discussion going on around her.

The Head Auror was outlining his tactics for apprehending renegade Deatheaters. Lupin was there as well, and he wanted the seven teenagers to be part of the hunting teams that they were sending out. When Harry agreed that they would help, the auror said he would assign each of them to be with a different team, so that they could cover more ground. However, Harry stipulated that they would only assist the teams in trios or quads. When Lupin asked why, Harry just shrugged saying it was how they had trained. Hermione raised her eyebrows at the lie. Harry just looked at her with a quick shake of his head when the two older wizards weren't looking.

"Actually, that's not a bad idea," Kingsley said. "You seven will probably be particular targets. You may want to think of sticking together in groups anytime you're in public for a while."

Later when they were walking towards the Infirmary Hermione brought it up. "What was with the trio and quad thing, Harry?" she asked him.

The green eyed wizard answered, "I don't know exactly. It just seemed better to do it this way. I got a really bad feeling when Remus talked about us working separately."

Hermione thought about that and said seriously, "Maybe you're having a premonition of some sort. Kingsley is right, though, it can't hurt to stick together as much as possible."

In the Infirmary, they found George dressed and sitting in a chair. Ginny was perched on the edge of the bed closest to him talking seriously. Luna and Neville were helping Madame Pomfrey across the room but kept a concerned eye on the two. Ron went straight up to his sister and brother.

"Hey George," Ron quietly greeted him, his face showing his pain to his brother. George jumped up and grabbed Ron in a hug not saying anything.

Hermione hadn't realized how closely Ron actually resembled George until now. He and the twins took after Molly's side for the family, while the other Weasley siblings had features that were more similar to their Dad.

Once the brothers had separated, she and Harry went to George also. Harry tried to convince him to come to Grimmauld Place, but George turned him down with a fierce light in his eyes. He was going to stay with Bill, because he had asked to be on the same Deatheater hunting team that his brother was leading.

"Verity can run the store for us until all those bastards are in Azkaban or dead," George declared, his usual good humor completely gone.

Hermione noticed that he had used the plural instead of the singular. From the quick looks that passed between the others, nobody else had missed it either.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The six of them returned to Grimmauld Place with Arthur, once George had gone to Shell Cottage with the eldest Weasley sibling. Hermione had felt a growing uneasiness that she couldn't explain as the evening passed. She noticed the others were also a bit out of sorts.

After dinner, they all went into the library to talk about the events of the day and tomorrow's plans. Luna sat between Ron and Neville on the couch, while Ginny, Hermione and Harry squashed together on the loveseat facing them. Draco finally made an appearance and the friends smiled or called out as they noticed him in the doorway. The pale boy looked even whiter and stressed, so Luna went over to him in concern.

"Are you okay, Draco?" she asked taking his hand, leading him over to the couch and pushing him into the spot previously occupied by herself. "You'd better sit down."

"Hey, I want you to sit next to me not ferret boy," Ron said to her, though his concerned look at Draco took the sting out of the old nickname. Luna answered by dropping onto his lap and resting her legs across Draco and Neville. She found a comfortable position and smiled in contentment.

Neville _accio'd _a glass from the kitchen and a quick a_guamenti _filled it with water for the boy next to him. Draco seemed to relax once he'd drank the water and settled back in amidst his friends.

Draco had gone through a tough few hours. Seeing his mother had really taken a toll on him and he'd felt awful all afternoon. His father had lectured him on the expectations of being a Malfoy. He knew Lucius had seen him embracing Hermione, though he didn't specifically mention her. The seventeen year old hadn't realized how drained he'd become until his father had taken him to dinner in Diagon Alley.

When Lucius had started in again, this time mentioning "_mudbloods _knowing their places_", _Draco knew he had to get out of there. He'd stood up and told his father that he had to go and that he'd visit Mother again the next day. He'd walked right out of the restaurant and _apparate_d back to Harry's house. He knew his father would be angry. He had wanted his son to go back to the Manor with him but right now Draco didn't give a shit. Looking at the faces of his friends, he knew this was where he needed to be. He felt better already.

"How's your Mum?" Harry asked him.

"She woke up but was really confused," the blond answered. "She recognized me, though. I just held her hand and talked to her. She's really weak and out of it. They want to keep her longer."

"Are you all right?" Hermione asked in looking at him intently. "You looked terrible when you came in."

"I'm all right now. I just felt horrible seeing Mother like that," he replied not mentioning Lucius' constant lecturing. Hermione knew he was holding something back, but decided to ask him later.

"I understand," put in Neville, thinking of his own visits to the hospital. "I'll come with you the next time you to go. That way I can see my Mum and Da, too."

They all offered to go, which made Harry bring up Kingsley's suggestion. They agreed that it would be prudent for no one to go off alone for now. It just seemed to make sense.

Later that night, Hermione was curled up in bed with Draco in his room this time. They still hadn't revealed their relationship to the others. It wasn't a matter of not trusting anyone, they were beyond that stage. It was simply that they thought the others would spill the beans to Molly, whether inadvertently or by design. Draco had commented that if Ron wasn't getting any, he wouldn't put it past him to make sure Draco was in the same boat. There was no way they wanted _their_ doors monitored at night.

The witch looked at his troubled face and asked, "What else happened today? "

"It was Mother. She woke up like I said and smiled at me, but the instant she saw Father, she went absolutely crazy. She started crying and screaming and thrashing around. She was so upset that the healers were afraid she would damage herself. They had to give her a calming draught. Even then, she didn't truly calm down until he had left. I stayed with her alone after that but she had such a broken, frightened look in her eyes. We couldn't get her to snap out of it. I don't know if she even understood anything that I said to her," he explained his tone really upset. His father's words had added to his burden, but he didn't want to tell the witch next to him about those conversations because it would just make _her_ feel bad too.

Hermione decided not to share her news about being pregnant while he was so clearly torn apart by his mum's condition. She decided to wait until tomorrow for a better time. Wrapping her arms around him, she offered her lips to him trying to take his mind off of his troubles. Draco gladly took the comfort that she offered, grateful as always for her strength and love.

~*~*~*~*~*~

About three weeks later, Hermione still hadn't found the _right_ opportunity to tell Draco about their child. After their visit to Hogwarts that afternoon, the adults had given them a couple of more days of peace before deciding that the members of the heptet were ready to join in the action. They were all still living together at Grimmauld Place, in spite of visits from Neville's grandmother, Luna's father and Lucius Malfoy. Falling back on Kingsley's comments, they told their relatives that it was better for them to be together. Mrs. Weasley and her husband were glad to act as chaperones and de facto parents, just so she could keep an eye on all of them.

Their days had been full with hunting Deatheaters, checking in at Hogwarts, and visits to St. Mungo's Hospital. Each day, different members of the Order had been in and out of the house using it again as their base. Tonks and Draco immediately took to each other, finally getting to know the cousin that they had been kept from as children. The teens were glad to see their older friends who all treated them as adults now, instead of just junior Order members. Molly, of course, still insisted on treating them as children.

The teens used the library as their haven from everyone and everything. If they didn't have duties, the friends seemed to converge there to pass the time with whoever else was free. Hermione found that she was becoming as close to Neville and Luna as she was to the others. Each night regardless of who had spent time with whom, the seven always regrouped in the library to rehash how their day went and plan for the next one. Their bond of friendship grew stronger as the days passed.

Currently, Hermione was running through the ornamental gardens behind Flint Manor chasing three men named on the lists that Snape and Lucius had made. This was her fourth such assignment; this time it was Harry, Ron, and herself working with two aurors and an order member. The protocol when seeking a suspected Deatheater within his home was simple. All family members were gathered in a public room and asked to bare their forearms. Those with Dark Marks were taken in for questioning and their wands subjected to _Priori Incantatem._

Possession of a Dark Mark was enough to warrant detention, but it did not guarantee a prison sentence if there were no indications of dark magic being used by the owner. They had found a few men and boys that had clearly been coerced into taking the mark. One Slytherin fifth year had been terrified and the recall spell placed on his wand had showed that the most offensive spell that he had ever cast had been a jelly-legs jinx. He was released into the relieved custody of his mother since his father was being sent to Azkaban; his wand was found to have been used to cast all three of the _unforgivables_.

This time, though they weren't facing a frightened teen, but a strong family of purebloods. The patriarch of the Flint family had demanded to know where they were holding his heir, Marcus. The boy hadn't been seen for the past three weeks. His father had not believed the truthful denial of the aurors about his whereabouts and he had refused to bare his left arm when asked to do so. In the middle of the interview, Flint had abruptly stunned the senior auror while two other Flint males had shot curses at the rest of the group. The three men then bolted out of the terrace doors into the gardens. They needed to get beyond the boundary of the property in order to _apparate_ away.

The women of the house had immediately thrown themselves in front of the team trying to create confusion and hinder their pursuit. The wizards on the side of the Light had hesitated to hex the women, subconsciously not wanting to fight "ladies". Besides, the women weren't under warrant like their men and hadn't used their magic to impede the team. Hermione, though, had no such qualms. Quickly casting a stinging hex onto the hands of the woman holding her arm, she was the first one out the door after the fugitives.

She followed the sounds of running feet and sped after the fleeing wizards along a path lined with benches and statuary. She couldn't see them, as tall shrubbery had been used to separate various sections of the garden and the path twisted somewhat among them. She came to a clearing with a fountain that had been turned off for the winter in the middle of it.

The teen was forced to duck behind the fountain as a shot of red light came streaking towards her from the other end of the clearing. She popped up and shot four rapid spells in the direction from which the curse had come, before dropping below the rim of the fountain again. She was rewarded with a thud and a bout of swearing from up ahead.

Cautiously peeking around the fountain, she saw Marcus Flint's father on the ground not moving and a second wizard with an indecisive look on his face. He glanced first at the fallen man and then at the route to freedom behind him. Obviously making his choice, he stepped away from his kinsman and turned to flee again. Hermione stood up with her wand pointed at him unwilling to let him get away.

"Stop where you are," she yelled. "Drop your wand or I'll stun you."

The man swung his wand in her direction, but she had been ready for him. She cast _stupify _and knew she had him. However, Hermione was so intent on him that she didn't see the third wizard step out from the shrubbery behind her and aim his wand at _her_. As she watched her target fall to the ground, the spell from behind hit her. She felt herself flying through the air and a sudden blossoming of_ PAIN._ She dimly heard her name being screamed and then she heard no more.

Harry and Ron came into the clearing as Maddock Flint pointed his wand at their friend's back. Their combined spells hit the wizard at the same time throwing his now unconscious body ten feet back, but not in time to stop his curse from hitting their best friend. Ron screamed her name as she was blasted off of her feet and hurled directly against the fountain. Her head impacted the stonework and she collapsed to the ground. The two boys rushed to her unmoving figure.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"She's so strong, Mother, and really smart. She always knows what the right thing to do is. I've been a real ass to her and she always forgives me."

At St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Draco suddenly stopped his monologue and looked up from his mother's sleeping face troubled. He had been describing Hermione to her, though he never mentioned the witch's actual name when a sudden sense of foreboding shot through him. He released his mother's hand and went to the door of her room opening it. In the hallway, Ginny was on her feet with a worried look on her face, the quidditch magazine that she had been reading forgotten on her chair. Without saying a word, they started moving together towards the front of the hospital. At a cross corridor, the spied Neville and Luna heading their way from the long term residents' ward, where they had been visiting the Gryffindor boy's parents. Neville had his arm around Luna who was shaking. The four looked at each other in unease and continued in the direction of the main area of the hospital.

As they neared the front desk, they could hear a familiar voice yelling, "What do you mean we can't go back there? Open the damn doors you old bat!" Ron was nearly vibrating in his agitation.

"We _are _her family. She needs us to be back there with her. Please let us through," Harry's voice was more reasonable, but he looked at the witch behind the desk with hard eyes.

"I can't do that. Now go away before I call security," the woman answered and went back to the paper she was reading. The only way to get to the treatment area was through a set of double doors that were charmed to only allow personnel, patients and properly authorized visitors through. Clearly, she didn't think any of these three designations applied to the disheveled wizards in front of her.

As the four other teenagers arrived on the scene, Ginny moved up next to Harry placing her arm around his waist. Draco put his hand on Ron's shoulder steadying him and then pushed him towards Luna and Neville. He stepped up to the desk. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Hermione was hurt and this one won't let us back there," Harry told him tersely. Draco felt his heart stutter.

The woman behind the desk gave them all a sour look and said primly, "Hospital regulations state that only _real_ relatives may accompany a patient into the emergency treatment area and only_ one _at a time_."_

"I don't give a shite about your fucking regulations. Do you know who I am? I'm Draco Malfoy. That is Harry Fucking Potter and Ronald Weasley. I'm sure you can guess who these others are," Draco said dangerously pointing to each of his friends. "You've got _Hermoine Granger_ back there and we _are _going to see her. If you can't let us through, you'd better get someone who can or we will let ourselves through. That precious paper of yours," he jabbed his finger at the Daily Prophet she was holding, "should have told that you we killed Voldemort, so one pissant little bureaucrat isn't going to stop us."

The witch's eyes had gotten larger with the mention of each name and her mouth gaped open like a fish. Draco was about to verbally blast her again, when the doors opened and an older mediwitch stepped through. She took in the situation with a glance, and gestured the group over to her. She knew who they were.

"I'm Healer Strutney. I take it you wish to see Miss Granger. I'll allow _one _of you back to see her now because she's asking for you, not because of _who_ you are," she said calmly, reminding them of Professor McGonagall, and indicating that she had heard Draco's rant. She held up her hand to stifle their protests and continued in a voice that made clear that no arguments would sway her. "She's being moved to a regular room for the night. The rest of you can see her there in a short while. Go up to the fourth floor and check in at the desk there. Now who is coming back with me?"

Ginny immediately volunteered, daring anyone to contradict her. They just nodded and quickly made their way upstairs. The redheaded girl followed the mediwitch towards her friend.

Hermione was feeling mostly fine; the spells and potions had healed her concussion leaving her with just a mild headache and sore shoulder. Emotionally, she was really relieved to have finally been able to talk to a healer about her pregnancy. After assuring the young woman that everything they discussed was completely confidential, Healer Strutney had examined her and the baby. Hermione thought carefully about what the healer had said to her while the mediwitch left the room to find Harry and Ron.

According to the the diagnostic spells, Hermione was in her eleventh week of pregnancy with a baby girl. _I'm having a girl,_ Hermione thought joyfully. Her daughter was completely healthy and developing normally. When Hermione had asked why she was losing weight instead of gaining, the elder witch had assured her that it wasn't uncommon in the first trimester for some women. They would monitor the situation and only worry if it did not reverse itself in the upcoming weeks.

Of more concern, the healer had informed her seriously, were her current activities. Healer Strutney had known who the girl was, and understood her importance in the ongoing battle against the dark wizards. However, she had cautioned her patient, Hermione's current lifestyle could seriously harm her child. She had seen the protection spell during the examination, but stated that it was a poor substitute for keeping herself safe. The strain of the physical and magical activities that she was putting herself through almost daily were severely detrimental to her own health. Her body needed to be at its best to nurture her child and prepare for her birth.

Hermione decided that it didn't matter if the timing was right or not. She would tell Draco about their baby girl the next time that they were alone together. When Ginny rushed into the room, the girl in the bed hugged her in happiness. The younger witch thought it was because Hermione had survived another dangerous situation. The older one knew it was because all her secrets would be out in the open soon.


	26. Walking Away From You

Chapter 26 Walking Away From You

_Last Chapter: Hermione carefully thought through all that the healer had told her and she decided that it didn't matter if the timing was right or not. She would tell Draco about their baby girl the next time that they were alone together. When Ginny rushed into the room, the girl in the bed hugged her in happiness. The younger witch thought it was because Hermione had survived another dangerous situation. The older one knew it was because all her secrets would be out in the open._

"She likes to read just like you do, Mother. Funny thing is, I never realized how much like you she is," Draco told her and she smiled faintly at his gentle words and looks. Encouraged by this unexpected response he continued, "When you're better, I'll introduce you. I think you'd probably really like her once you got to know her."

Since she had been brought out of her coma, Draco had spent part of each day telling his mother what he had been doing with his life since the start of the school year. With the exception of a few quick minutes on the way through the Manor to Deatheater meetings and the night of her beating, which he _neve_r mentioned, he hadn't spent a good amount of time with her since the summer.

During his recitations, he glossed over the parts where he had been injured or been in danger, fearing to worry her. He also skipped the bad things that he had done and how he'd hurt others. That pretty much left talking about his new friendships. Tonight he positively waxed poetic about Hermione. She was on his mind because she had been released from the hospital this afternoon while he was on an assignment. He couldn't wait to get back to the house to see her.

Draco had never actually said _who _she was to his mother, just referring to her as "the girl I was telling you about" and the like. He only mentioned "Hermione Granger" as part of his new group of comrades, since he wasn't sure how his mother felt about muggleborns.

Narcissa had lain in an almost in a catatonic state for the first few days, except for the screaming episodes when her husband had shown up. Those panic attacks had gradually stopped so long as she had Draco in the room while Lucius was there. Now she lay in bed passively, eating what was fed to her and letting herself be manipulated like a large doll. She listened to everything that Draco had told her while keeping her wide serious eyes on him. However, she hadn't spoken to anyone yet. He wasn't sure how much she was actually taking in. The healers hoped that she would come out of her quiescent state, but were unsure when and _if_ that would happen.

The door to the room opened, and he saw his mother's eyes shift behind him and stay riveted there. He felt the sudden tension in her hand and saw the fear in her eyes. He knew without looking that it was his father.

"Hello, Cissa," Lucius said in a voice one would use to talk to a wild animal. He walked over to the bed, and reached out to stroke his wife's hand. Narcissa flinched turning her eyes back to Draco. She clutched his hand desperately. Her husband noticed the flinch and handhold and his face tightened.

"Girl," whispered Narcissa to Draco hoarsely. Both men were shocked that she had finally spoken.

"What, Mother? What do you need?" Draco asked earnestly, wanting to hear her voice again. This was the first real sign that she was still in there.

"Tell more...girl,"she repeated. Draco understood that she wanted to hear more about the girl in his life. Conscious that his father was listening to every word, he told his mother what she wanted to hear about while trying to keep things ambiguous for his father.

"That's right, mother. She likes school and is really good at potions. She looks beautiful when she's all dressed up. She always looks great at dances. I bet that she'd love to go shopping with you since you have such good taste. You'd have a good time too, she's great to talk to."

"Love...her?" she whispered. Draco didn't dare look at his father, concentrating on his mother's face. She was looking at him hopefully and her hand had relaxed in his.

"Yes," he whispered back. Her eyes grew luminous and she smiled in contentment at him.

"I've already taken care of it, darling," Lucius' smooth voice cut into the touching moment between mother and son. A pair of gray and a pair of blue eyes swung to him startled.

"What did you do?" Draco asked him anxiously, though he tried to keep his voice even to not upset his mother.

"I've been a bit sneaky, I'm afraid. I've been aware of the gist of your conversations for weeks now."

Draco looked horrified at this bit of information. He racked his brain trying to remember what _exactly_ he'd said to his mother, especially that first week and when she'd been mostly nonresponsive. _Damn Father, _he thought, _I should have realized he'd put a listening charm on the room or pay someone here to spy on us._

"I'm so glad he told you what he did, dear. He's been in love with a young lady from Hogwarts for quite some time and didn't tell us, the naughty boy," he told his wife in a playful voice. "She's in his year and apparently quite sought after. This finally confirmed it for me. It's all going to be all right now."

"What did you do?" Draco demanded again. His mother watched them with her wide eyes.

Lucius smiled gently at his wife and she looked at him tentatively. He moved slowly forward, and sat in a chair on the other side of her bed from Draco. When she didn't rebuff him, Lucius placed his hand near her free one, but didn't quite touch it. He said the next words quite deliberately, "I spoke to her father yesterday and arranged a betrothal between the two of them."

"What?" Draco exclaimed, knowing full well Hermione's parents were dead. Even if they hadn't been, his father would never have deigned to go to them.

"Oh, Lucius," Narcissa whispered happily at the same time, a real smile gracing her lips. She put her hand on the back of her husband's hand. He flipped his over cupping her hand gently.

"That's right, Draco. It's all been taken care of. You _will _marry Daphne Greengrass this summer. Things in the wizarding world should be more settled by then. Her father knows that it's only a matter of time before he'll be sent to Azkaban, and he wanted at least one of his daughters safely settled. It's just _fortuitous_ that we can bring you two together."

Draco looked at him disbelievingly. His father threw him a hard look, then glanced meaningfully at his mother. The young man looked at her. She had an ecstatic look on her face and her eyes were brimming with happy tears. She was animated for the first time in weeks.

"Maragaine's daughter," she whispered in awe.

Draco looked down and stared at her hand, now linked with his father's. _What the hell do I do now?_

"Father, can I speak to you outside," Draco ground out as tonelessly as possible.

"Cissa, Draco and I have to discuss some details of the betrothal," Lucius told her in a cheerful voice. "I'll be back in a moment."

Draco kissed his smiling mother and strode out the door. Ron, who had been dozing while waiting for him looked up and saw the turmoil radiating off of the blond. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lucius walked out of Narcissa's room interrupting him. Draco shook his head and pointed to a vacant room next door. The two Malfoys walked in and shut the door. Lucius quickly put a privacy charm around the room.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Draco exploded. "You know damn well I don't give a fuck about Daphne Greengrass."

"Watch your tone with me, boy," Lucius told him coldly. "I know about your little infatuation with the mudblood and it's going to stop."

"Don't call her that! Don't you get it? She's the best of all of us. Without Hermione, we would never have defeated Voldemort. I would be dead right now if it weren't for her."

"No, you would be dead right now if it wasn't for your mother and me," Lucius reminded him acidly. "We switched sides so that halfblood maniac wouldn't kill you last year. Now it's time for you to pay us back."

"You said you did it because you loved me," Draco stated, shocked by his demand. Hermione had never put a price on _her_ love.

"I did. But the Malfoys have been a pureblood family for sixteen generations. We were great and we will be so again. The Greengrass family has impeccable bloodlines. Your son will be the scion of both families. He will have the world before him. I will not let you screw it all up because you're only thinking with your libido."

"It's not just sex. Hermione is the best thing that's ever happened to me! I love her, Father." Lucius looked like he didn't believe Draco and shook his head.

"Not like I love your mother. We have twenty-two years together. Twenty-two. That's love. For Merlin's sake, she _cringes_ from me when I reach for her! Do you know what that's like?"

"Yes, I do," the younger wizard replied remembering brown eyes in a bloodied face shrinking from him. His heart clenched. _You selfish bastard, you can't even wait for Mother as long as I waited for Hermione. _"I can't walk away from her."

"Nonetheless, you will marry the Greengrass chit. Look at how happy your mother was about it. This is the only thing that has made her react since she woke up."

"She was reacting to the way I was talking about Hermione! Daphne has always been a spoiled bitch."

"It doesn't matter who you meant. Your mother thinks it's Daphne now. Did you know your mother was Maragaine Greengrass' closest friend before she passed away? They were dorm mates together in Slytherin. They were _best friends _through their Hogwarts years. They probably fantasized this exact thing when they were silly schoolgirls. Will you destroy your mother's happiness and risk sending her back to the way she was for the sake of some girl _you_ thought was a mudblood bitch until last year?" Lucius was a consummate manipulator and had always known exactly how to push the buttons of each member of his family.

Draco closed his eyes and thought about the two most important women in his life. His mother was so needy. She had always depended upon the males in her life to take care of her. The only time her husband hadn't done so, had sent her over the edge. Hermione, on the other hand, was always so damn strong and independent. No matter what obstacles fate put in her path, she managed to stay true to herself. Opening his eyes, he knew full well which one could and which one couldn't live without him.

Reading his son's face, the Malfoy patriarch was apparently satisfied by what he saw there.

"There's going to be an announcement in tomorrow's Daily Prophet." Lucius said offhandedly. "If you can't give up your mudblood, keep her on the side. Just make sure to keep her the hell away from the family." With that bit of what he considered _kind _advice, Lucius ended the privacy spells and went back to his wife's room.

Draco bowed his head in defeat. He wished his mother wasn't in such an unbalanced emotional state. It may have been selfish, but for the first time he wished she wasn't so fragile, that she could have been stronger for _him. _Draco knew that he didn't have a choice. He was going to give up his one chance at happiness for hers. He felt like part of him was dying.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione had been released from the hospital at around noon and had spent the afternoon resting in her room. _I'm going to talk to Draco tonight, _she thought happily. Her lover had spent a good chunk of last night in her hospital room, but they hadn't been able to carve out a moment of privacy. The friends had taken shifts in pairs to make sure she was all right. Ginny and Draco stayed for the first few hours, during which the injured girl had fallen asleep. When she awoke the next morning, Neville was sleeping in one of the chairs and Harry came wandering in a minute later with pastries and tea for all of them.

The two boys had remained with her until she was allowed to go home. The other four teens had been called on a mission a short while before she arrived at Grimmauld Place. Luna and Ginny returned at dinner time and greeted Hermione enthusiastically. They said Draco and Ron were going to grab a bite at the hospital canteen so Draco could visit with Narcissa before they came home. The boys were expected to be back late.

Hermione walked slowly down the stairs of Grimmauld Place, her head still felt just the tiniest bit tender. Everyone was asleep already except for her. Her earlier naps combined with her anxiousness for Draco's return kept her awake. She saw light spilling from the kitchen doorway and heard Ron's voice drift out to her.

"...say to you? He came out of there looking smug as hell. I know he's your Da, but he can be a right arsehole. You looked like shit too, Ferret."

"Shut it, Weasel. I guess it's not going to be a secret for much longer, since it'll be in tomorrow's paper," Draco said tiredly. "He's betrothed me to Daphne Greengrass."

Ron whistled knowing traditional pureblood betrothals were almost as binding as marriage. "I'm sorry, mate. She's hot, but she's one of the bitchiest witches in our year. Did you know she, Parkinson, and Bulestrode used to make Hermione cry almost daily when we were in first and second year? They tortured her unmercifully until she grew a thicker skin and learned to defend herself in third year. Gah...Girls are so cruel. _We _just used to punch and hex the shit out of each other."

"I'd forgotten all about that," Draco said softly. He remembered now how the Gryffindor's tears had filled him with childish glee. The thought made him feel sick now.

"Don't worry, though. Hermione's never been one to hold grudges. Hell, look at you two. Did you ever think you'd be friends and fighting on the same side? She'll probably make Daphne into her best girlfriend and be her maid of honor when you go down the aisle." Ron chuckled at the image.

"I don't think it's going to be as easy as that."

Ron put his hand on Draco's shoulder and squeezed once, before saying seriously, "We've come a long way together, mate. Good luck with Greengrass. You know we're all here for you if you need us. Don't doubt that. I'm off to bed." A little embarrassed about his sentimentality, Ron turned at the door for one last remark. "Oh, you do know you'll still always be Ferret Boy, right?" Smiling cheekily, the redhead climbed the stairs.

Draco headed up a few minutes later looking for Hermione. She wasn't in her bedroom when he looked there first. He found her sitting on his bed waiting for him when he got to his room. She was looking at him with a pained expression on her face. She didn't say anything for a moment and then closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. He quickly locked the door and cast a silencing spell. He walked to the bed and sat beside her, touching her arm gently.

"Hermione?" he asked, but he knew her too well. _Fuck,_ he thought. _She knows. How the fuck does she know?_

"I heard you and Ron talking downstairs. Tell me if it's true. Are you going to marry Daphne Greengrass?" she asked him without opening her eyes. _I thought you loved me_.

"Look at me," he begged her. "It's going to be all right." _I love you, but I have to do this._

The witch shook her head and asked again without opening her eyes, "Are you going to marry her?" _Please say no; _ _tell me I'm wrong._

Draco put his hands on her shoulders and gently turned her to face him. "Yes. I am." _Please understand, I don't mean to hurt you._

Hermione felt a pain go straight through her heart at those three short words. She opened her eyes and Draco could see that they were full of tears. She only said one word. "Why?" _Can't you see what you're doing to me?_

"My father arranged a betrothal between us. Now that the war is over, it's my duty to my family to marry and have a son to carry on the name. I have no choice," Draco told her quietly, hating the pain he was causing her. _I owe it to my parents. Mother almost died because of me._

"Yes you do. There's always a choice. You told me you loved me. Now you're leaving me again." _No matter what he said, it always comes down to blood_, she thought bitterly. Hermione was in a nightmare.

"My father demands that I secure the Malfoy line. He wants a grandson and he wants one soon. You don't understand how it is in my family. It's the pureblood way." _This is the only thing that's making Mother get better._

"You know I'd marry you in a heartbeat," she hated that she was almost begging him. "I would have your children," she added in a choked voice. _ I already am._

He just shook his head. "My father would never accept that. He wants_ this_ marriage. It will make Mother so happy, and she's still not out of the woods yet. I have to pay them back. My mother was in a coma for two months because of me! I owe them. It's the only thing they've asked me to do and I can't disappoint them," he said. _Mother isn't strong like you. _ _We'll find another way for us to be together._

"I've never asked you for anything either, damn you, but you _never_ choose me!" Hermione finally screamed, anger and disappointment in him overcoming her hurt. "It's always been _your_ pureblood friends. Your House. Your reputation. Your parents. When was it going to be us? You were never going to choose us were you?" The last question was asked in a tear filled voice as she gestured between the two of them. _You would never choose our daughter. _

Draco tried to placate her by saying, "Daphne is just a means to give Lucius a grandson...but nothing says that I have to love her. You know I love you. I need you to be strong for us. We can still be together; it doesn't matter whom I marry." _Please give us this chance. We can get through this__. I still need you. _

"What are you saying?" Hermione asked him in an incredulous voice. _Do you know me so little?_

"I still want you as my friend and lover. You're the one who helped me through everything. I would never turn my back on you." His gray eyes looked into hers searchingly. "We'd find a way to be make us work." _This is the only way it can be if I want Mother to get better._

"You want me to be your whore," Hermione said, tears of anger, tears of pain falling down her face. "After everything we've been through, this is what I _really_ mean to you." _Ten gold galleons._

"No, you'd never be my whore. You'd be the keeper of my heart. The woman that I love," he tried to convince her. _Why can't you understand? I need you to be at my side. I want you with me._

"I can't be that, Draco. I can't do that. I wasn't raised to believe it's okay to be with a married man. I can't love you and then send you _home_ to your _wife_ and family. You don't know me at all if you think I'd be your mistress, when you don't think I'm good enough to be your wife," Hermione answered in a defeated voice. "We fought a _war_ so that blood status wouldn't matter so much." _You can't even see why this is so wrong._

"Just think it over, Hermione," the blond begged her. "Don't walk away from what we have!" _I don't want to lose you._

She looked at him sadly. "How can I walk away from you, when you've already left me for someone else? _I_ know I'm worth more than what you're offering me, even if you don't. I _deserve_ better than this and... so does Daphne. Since you're going to marry her, you owe her your fidelity. I can't...I won't... be the _other woman. _If you do this, you can't have me also."

She leaned into him and gave him one last kiss, cupping his face gently. There was a sense of finality to it. He tried to hold her, but she didn't let him. Hermione got up very carefully, holding herself together with every ounce of self-control she could muster. Without looking back at him, she unspelled the door and left.

He waited for her to change her mind and return; but she never came back. It was the first night since New Years that she didn't spend the night with him. It was the first night of many.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next night at around ten, Hermione walked into the kitchen at Grimmauld Place and faced Lupin and McGonagall resolutely. The two of them were the only adults in the house at the moment. Harry, Draco, and Ron were on a night time hunt for Deatheaters. The Order had gotten some information and a raid had been planned. Ginny, Luna, and Neville were already asleep having gone on a mission earlier in the day.

"I need to leave today, Professor," she told the wizard and witch, "and I need you to make it right with the rest of the Order."

The older witch looked fondly at her ex-student, "Where do you need to go, Hermione?" she asked. "You know we have the 'only out in pairs' rule. Can you wait until tomorrow and then someone can accompany you?"

"No, Professor, I need to leave here permanently," Hermione clarified. "I want to be gone before the boys get back from their mission and everyone else wakes up."

The woman, who had been Hermione's mentor for the last seven years looked at her in a puzzled manner. "What's going on Hermione? Are you all right?" McGonagall's face was full of concern for the girl, noticing the redness of her eyes and her uncharacteristically disheveled appearance.

"You know we need every fighter we have to find the remaining Deatheaters. You're one of our best," broke in Remus looking at Hermione intently. "You had a close call. It's no shame to feel a bit afraid; it's to be expected. Why don't you go upstairs and rest and we'll talk in the morning. Your friends should be back by then."

"Remus, it's not just about me anymore," she stated quietly. "I'm having a harder time keeping up with everything now and I'm not going to be able to hide my condition much longer."

"What condition, Hermione?" Lupin asked sharply, while McGonagall covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'm pregnant."

"Oh my dear," McGonagall said sympathetically, "You should have told us. We would never have assigned you to the tracking teams. It's too risky for you now. Have you seen a mediwitch? How far along are you?"

"I'm almost three months along," the girl replied answering the questions in reverse order. "The healer at St. Mungo's confirmed everything while I was there."

"Three months!" exclaimed Remus, "Merlin preserve us girl, do you mean to say you were pregnant during the final battle? Did you know?"

"I knew before the battle, but Harry needed me to be there. So I didn't tell anyone."

When they looked at her flabbergasted, Hermione calmly replied, "If I wasn't there or if he'd known I was pregnant, he would have been worried when he needed to concentrate the most. Our fighting unit would have been broken. We've been in this together from the beginning and I didn't want to be a distraction."

"You were lucky, Hermione," Remus answered with a shudder. He had worried about his beloved Tonks being in battle, and she had already given birth to their son, Teddy, months ago.

"I know, but I had to. If Voldomort had won," she defended her actions, "he would have had my baby and me killed anyway. It worked out for the best. Now please, I'm only a liability here, and the Order doesn't _need _me the way Harry did before. Please let me go." Hermione looked at them beseechingly. "You're the only ones that can convince the others that I had to leave without them questioning you."

"If this is what you want, we'll help you," McGonagall agreed. Then she asked gently, "What about the father, Hermione?"

"He's not a part of this. He has no desire to be tied to me or this child and he made me no promises," Hermione said flatly closing the subject. "Don't worry, we'll be fine. Please just don't tell anyone else about _why_ I'm leaving. I trust you both to keep my secret. I have a letter for each of my friends. Will you see that they get them, Remus? " At his affirmative reply, Hermione went to her room to pack.

McGonagall waited while Hermione gathered the things that she wanted to take with her and used a shrinking spell that allowed her to tuck them into into her pocket. After they had walked outside past the house wards, Minerva wrapped the younger woman in a long hug. "Take care of yourself, Hermione," she murmured. "Let me know how you are. I'll keep your secrets." Hermionw nodded solemnly. Both felt a strange sense of deja vu at the familiarity of the scene.

As she watched the brown haired witch _apparate_, Minerva McGonagall wiped away a tear. She said a silent prayer for the girl whom she thought of as a daughter and hoped for two things. The first was that Hermione and her child would be safe and happy. The second was that she would see the young woman again some day.


	27. The Letters Part I

**Chapter 27 The Letters Part I**

_Last Chapter: As she watched the brown haired witch apparate, Minerva McGonagall wiped away a tear. She said a silent prayer for the girl whom she thought of as a daughter and hoped for two things. The first was that Hermione and her child would be safe and happy. The second was that she would see the young woman again some day._

Harry, Draco, and Ron arrived back at Grimmauld Place and were stunned by Remus' announcement that Hermione had left the Order and would not be returning. They inundated him with questions. He pushed the queries aside by plainly stating, "I can't tell you Hermione's reasons, but it was necessary. _She_ asked to go and went with the blessings of the Order. She left these for you." Remus pulled out the stack of sealed parchments and handed them to Harry. The older man quickly went into the kitchen not wanting to answer any more questions.

By this time Ginny, Luna, and Neville had been awakened by the loud voices. They came downstairs and could feel the tension emanating from their friends. When they heard the reason why, their shock was evident. Like they usually did, the teens sought the refuge of the library together to read the missives that Hermione had left for them.

"Do we read them aloud?" Neville wanted to know, looking at his unopened letter apprehensively.

"No," said Luna after thinking about it. "They're supposed to be personal. Hermione would have written one addressed to all of us together if she'd meant us to do that. Everyone read your own letter, and we'll share what we want to. Agreed?"

They all nodded and turned their attention to their letters

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry opened his letter and took in the familiar handwriting:

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm sorry that I have to leave you right now. If I thought I had any other option, I would take it. You always said that I could tell you anything, but there are things that even you can't help me with. I'm seem to have lost my courage somewhere along the way and am too tired to keep up a facade. If I don't go now, I know I'll do things that I'll regret. I need to go so I don't ruin everything._

_Please don't be mad at me for abandoning you. I don't do this lightly. I wouldn't go if I didn't know you'll be all right without me. I would never leave you if I didn't think you could handle it. You aren't alone any more, Harry. You have Ginny, Ron, Luna, Neville, and Draco to lean on now. Take care of each other and try to stay safe. Please don't come after me. Trust that I'll be safe and I promise I'll be back someday. I'm going to miss you so much, not because you are the Boy Who Lived, but because you're my best friend and my brother. I'll be thinking of you always. I love you. _

_Forgive me,_

_Hermione_

Harry didn't know what to think at first. Hermione knew his greatest fear was having those he loved die or leave him. She wouldn't have done this to him unless she had a compelling reason. She had never betrayed him before, and he refused to see her leaving as one now. As he'd always trusted in her decisions, he'd give her the benefit of the doubt. He hoped that she was all right.

Hermione was right about one thing, though. She hadn't left him alone. Looking at the faces around him as they read their letters, he knew he'd never be alone again. They would wait for her return and her explanation together. _She'd better not take too long, _he thought, _or he'd come looking for her whether she wanted him to or not._

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron looked at his letter for a moment before opening it. Though he truly loved Luna, he had a special place in his heart for the girl who was his best friend and had been his first love. They weren't meant to be _together, _but she wasn't supposed to be gone from his life. It was like sixth year all over again, and he didn't like it one bit...

_Dear Ron,_

_I'm so sorry that I have to leave before you're back, but it's better this way. I know you'd convince me to stay and that would make too many problems. Please trust me when I say that I have to leave. It's too complicated to explain and I'm too weary to try._

_I wanted you to know that I am so proud of you. You're still impulsive, funny, and wild, yet you've become so strong and sure of yourself. I don't know how I would have survived without your loyalty, love and friendship these past few years. You're always the one who made me smile and laugh when no one else could. Thank you for always defending me even when you didn't agree with the decisions that I'd made._

_Please take extra care of Harry. He's probably really angry at me for abandoning him. He'll need you more than ever now. Also give my love to Luna and take care of the rest of our group. You're the one who keeps everybody's spirits up! Please don't come after me. I'll be back when I'm ready._

_Your best friend,_

_Hermione_

Ron didn't know what could have made her run away. What could make her so sad? Voldomort was dead and most of the stray Deatheaters had been captured. Things were just starting to get better. Now they could do all the things that they had planned to do before the war started. Ron put his arm around Luna and rested his cheek against her hair. What was he going to do without Hermione?

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well?" demanded Ginny once everyone had finished their letters. "Did she tell anyone why she left?"

The rest just shook their heads mutely. The only one who knew was Draco and he couldn't tell them. He knew after reading his letter that he'd really fucked up. He was too afraid he'd lose all of them too, so he held his tongue. They sat without talking, feeling the empty place where Hermione should have been.

Harry broke the silence first saying, "She seemed so sad and unsure of herself in my letter. She was worried that I'd be mad at her for going." He looked at them and his green eyes were troubled behind the lenses of his glasses.

"Are you, Harry?" Ginny asked him while observing him carefully. She knew about his abandonment issues. Ron watched him too, thinking about Hermione's request.

He sighed in relief as Harry shook his head. "No, something happened and I don't think it's just her getting hurt on her last assignment. She talked about not being able to pretend anymore. She sounded too tired and sad."

Luna nodded, "She told me she didn't want to hurt all of our friendships. She said she didn't know how else to get out of the coil she was in."

"She said it was complicated," Ron added. "She was so sad for herself, but also really worried if _we_ were going to be all right."

Draco hadn't spoken yet and his face became more dispirited as each of the others talked about Hermione's words. His chest felt tight and his eyes were stinging. He was struggling to put on his blank face and was failing miserably.

Luna inadvertently lightened the mood in the room by saying, "She told me to keep an eye on you, Ronald Weasley, and not to let you get into trouble."

"Hey," Ron said. There were a few smiles from others at that. It was something Hermione would say and exactly how Ron would have responded to her. The Ravenclaw continued, "She also told me to make sure we, all of us, stayed close."

"She told me that too," Neville said then added shyly, "and she said that I was just like a brother to her."

"Hermione told me to keep everyone's spirits up," Ron said in a voice anything but cheerful. "I don't know how I'm supposed to do that." Luna rubbed his arm consolingly.

"Gin?" asked Harry looking into her now brimming eyes. "What did she say to you?"

"She thanked me for always standing by her," the redheaded girl said in a teary voice. "Then she told me to tell Luna that we were in charge and had to help you guys muddle through." She ended up grinning despite her tears at the protestations of the boys.

She bet Hermione had known that her words would make her friends focus less on their sadness. When she mentioned that out loud, Harry hugged her saying, "She's not known as the brightest witch of our age for nothing."

"Draco?" he prompted next, seeing the blond boy hadn't shared anything yet. Draco was gripping his letter with a look in his eyes that Harry had never seen on him. He couldn't exactly name what it was. He suddenly remembered when he had heard Draco call Hermione "love" during the final battle. They had never acted as more than friends these past months, but Harry suddenly wondered about it. The Slytherin looked so troubled that Harry didn't have the heart to bring it up now. He wouldn't forget about it though.

Draco cleared his throat to get past the lump that had lodged there and said, "She told me to be happy and be free." Without realizing it, he was massaging his arm where his Dark Mark was.

The rest nodded at him in sympathy. _She also said she'd always love me. _He closed his eyes because he couldn't say that aloud ever. Luna leaned away from Ron to give Draco the hug she thought he needed. His gray eyes popped open startled.

"It's okay to be sad, Draco," Luna told him. "We all are. She promised to come back to us, though."

"Hermione told me that I'd never be alone again because I would always have all of you," Harry stated quietly. They all looked at him and smiled slightly. They would get through this together

"So what do we do now?" asked Neville.

"We trust her and wait for her to come home." Harry answered. "If she takes too long, we'll go get her."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco read his parchment again that night as he was lying in bed. He didn't know it, but Hermione had spent almost twice as long composing it compared to the time she used for the other five letters combined.

_Draco,_

_I've thought a lot about our talk and think its best if I left. I don't hate you; I could never do that. I'm more afraid that if I stay, I'll let you convince me to be with you on your terms. If that happens, I don't think that I'll like the person that I'll become. Maybe this is always what you had planned for our future, but I have to value myself more. You shouldn't have asked that of me. You know I'm not ashamed of my blood, and it was a hard way to learn that you still are. I know you tried to change your feelings, but it just wasn't enough for us. I'm sorry I have to go, but it's too hard to be around you right now. I'll always love you even though we can't to be together. _

_I hope you find what you're looking for. There is so much good in you, even though you don't always believe it. Others will see it too, if you open yourself up to them. You should give your marriage a real chance since you're so set on this course. Daphne will be your partner from now on and maybe the war changed her for the better. After all, it happened to you. I hope she'll come to love you like you deserve. You can build something good for yourself. You can have the family that you want and a good life. _

_Be happy. Be safe. Be free. This is your chance. Show the world who you really are. Don't let your last name or the mark on your arm define you. I know it will be hard, but I still believe in you. Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny will always be there for you when you need true friends. Don't lose sight of them when you go back to your own world. Don't lose sight of yourself._

_Goodbye my love,_

_Hermione_

Draco let the tears that he'd been trying to hide from the others finally fall. _I've fucked up everything._ _Again._ Hermione had put up with all of his shit for so long because she had loved him. She'd forgiven him for all the times he had hurt her, and unselfishly offered every part of herself to him when he had been in need. She had never done anything but try to help him and he had repaid her by telling her she wasn't good enough to be a Malfoy. He had finally driven her away. _ I am such a bastard._

He didn't know how he had ever thought she would agree to be his mistress. He'd let his father's last comment linger in his brain and just run with it desperately. _How could I have been so fucking stupid?_ Now she was Merlin knows where thinking that he had never really loved her. _That_ hurt almost as much as knowing she was gone. _I really do love her. I'd give anything to do it differently._

He should have explained better about his mother's health and why he had to go through with the marriage. He should have just just been truthful. He would have probably lost her anyway, but then she wouldn't have run. Hermione had once promised to always be his friend and she would have done her best to do that. It would have been hard to see her and not be _with_ her, but at least she would still be here. Now she was just gone because he'd been too weak to give her up. _I was too selfish to let her go_ _and now everyone has lost her._

He had depended on her for so long, that he didn't know what to do without her. He couldn't even blame anyone else. It's true that his father had trapped him into the marriage, but he'd been the one to screw it up with Hermione. She'd been right as usual; there was always a choice. He'd just always made the wrong ones. _It's all my fault. _She had written to the others that she'd be back, but she hadn't told him that. She'd just said goodbye._ She never wants to see me again._

He reread the letter again. It was a perfect example of how their relationship had always been. He had hurt and insulted her again, yet she was still concerned about _his_ well being. Her innate compassion humbled him. She still believed in him, even though he had failed her. She wanted him to have a good life. She offered him encouragement. Most unselfishly, she had given him her friends. Draco knew if she had told them what he had said to her, they would have rightly been on her side. He would have been the outcast. However, she hadn't done that; she had chosen to leave in his place. She had even given him her blessing to marry Daphne even though that must have hurt her so much to do it. He knew that she meant it sincerely because she was that kind of a person. She was letting him go with grace and dignity, when he hadn't given her that chance.

_I don't deserve her,_ Draco thought in anguish. _I never did._

A knock at his door brought him out of his self-recriminations. Wiping his face quickly with his sheet, he called out an invitation to enter. The door opened and Neville hesitantly entered the room.

"Hey Draco," the Gryffindor said to the boy as he sat up in bed.

"Hi Neville, what do you need?"

"I didn't want to tell you in front of the group, but Hermione asked me to help you especially," Neville told his friend.

Draco's heart started to beat faster. _Did she tell him? Why isn't he yelling at me? _He just looked at the other boy uneasily.

"She thought that since I was a pureblood too that I could be with you when you went back into Society," Neville continued a bit uncomfortably. He blushed and looked down when he said the next part. "She didn't know that Gram doesn't go into Society much and I've only been to a few small gatherings over the past couple of years. Hermione thought you might need a friend to support you, but she didn't understand that your circles don't really associate with the Longbottoms."

Draco had been expecting anything but this. "She really cares about us so much doesn't she?" he said in a choked voice. He looked at Neville seriously and said in a stronger voice, "Neville, I would be proud to have you by my side if I have to deal with any of that bunch. In fact, I'd bring the lot of you and we'd set them on their ears. You all are my 'circle' now."

Neville smiled at him much more happily and bid him a friendly goodnight. Draco doused all the candles and lay in bed thinking about Hermione. Even after she had left, she was still taking care of him. He hadn't lied to his father, she was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he had lost her through his own self-centeredness. He fell asleep that night clutching the pillow that still smelled of her.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was the end of summer and the six friends were no longer all living together at Grimmauld Place. With the surrender of the last known Deatheaters, the teens had gradually given in to the demands of various family members to return to their respective homes. Neville had gone to his family seat in Lancashire. Luna moved back into her father's tower, and Ginny returned to the Burrow with Molly and Arthur. Harry had invited Ron to be his house mate since he didn't want to rattle around in the townhouse by himself. Ron had been thrilled with the offer and happily stayed right where he was.

Luckily, Ginny and Luna had both turned seventeen over the summer and passed their _apparation_ tests. Every night, there were multiple Floo calls and sometimes impromptu gatherings with some or all of them in attendance. Molly Weasley complained to Ginny that the Floo had never been this busy even when all of her boys had lived at home. No matter if they had seen each other every day of the week, the friends reserved each Saturday night as "group" night. No one ever missed their weekly get together, not even Draco, who was living at Malfoy Manor with his parents and his wife.

Draco had married Daphne Arietta Greengrass in a ceremony in the gardens of his ancestral home on a bright sunny day in the first week of June. On the surface it was a beautiful wedding, though if one looked closely, it could be seen that the only truly happy person was Narcissa Malfoy. She shed joyful tears as she watched her only son joined in matrimony to the daughter of her dear late friend, Maragaine Greengrass.

She completely missed the glares that shot between the wedding party. The groom was expressionless while the bride kept a cold, haughty look on her otherwise flawless face. To Lucius' annoyance, Draco had insisted upon having Harry, Neville and Ron stand up with him. Opposite them were Daphne's attendants: Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulestrode, and Tracey Davis. They had spent years as house rivals and had no intention of being polite to each other, much less becoming friends. It made for some interesting wizarding pictures.

Upon meeting Daphne again, Draco had unfortunately discovered that she was just as spiteful and vicious as ever. She gloated to her friends that as Mrs. Draco Malfoy she would have riches and social standing above theirs. She wanted the trappings that came with being a Malfoy, but didn't want anything to do with the wizard himself. Thinking of Hermione's letter, he had tried to come to some kind of agreement with the Slytherin girl on the morning of their wedding. She had laughed in his face. He didn't understand the reason behind her antipathy towards him; she hadn't hated him like this at Hogwarts.

"You and your father are nothing but blood traitors, while loyal men like my father rot in Azkaban. I despise you and am only marrying you because I have to," Daphne had told him. "Don't bother to act hurt, because I know you're only doing this for that crazy hag you call mother."

Draco had lost his temper and grabbed her by the throat. "You listen to me, you bitch. Say what you want about me or my father. I don't give a fuck. But not one word about my mother or I'll make you regret you were ever born. When we're around her you'll play the doting daughter-in-law or I'll cut off your access to the money and everything else that you want out of this farce of a marriage. Do I make myself clear?"

She had nodded in fright, massaging her neck and gasping for air. She was cowed for the time being, but had glared at him with hatred for the rest of the day. He realized there was no chance whatsoever for peace between them. He told her that once she gave him a child, she could do whatever the hell she wanted, hopefully as far away from him as possible. Needless to say, they had opted for a simple Ministry marriage ceremony without the traditional wizarding bonds.

Their wedding night was a travesty. Draco had drunk heavily, needing some liquid courage to enter the suite that Narcissa had commissioned for the newlyweds in "their" wing of the Manor. He didn't find a welcoming, blushing bride, just a hard-eyed witch who looked at him with disgust and said, "Let's get it over with and then get the hell out."

It was an emotionless, mechanical coupling, neither of them even bothering to fully undress. Draco was glad when it was quickly over. He'd left their suite and stumbled to his boyhood room. He'd fallen asleep and dreamed of a brown eyed witch with gentle hands and a smile in her eyes. He moved his clothes back into his old room the next day unbeknownst to his mother and father, only returning to his "marriage bed" every few weeks to try for a child.

Draco hated being at the Manor. It wasn't a home; it was punishment that he endured because he hadn't been wise enough to make the right choices. His mother looked at him with sad, needy eyes and kept trying to push Daphne and him together. Daphne would play the neglected wife in front of his mother and then smirk spitefully at Draco while Narcissa berated him for his thoughtlessness. His mother constantly hinted about grandchildren with a hopeful smile. Lucius didn't beat around the bush and just told him to be a man and get the job done. He wasn't pleased with his son's attitude or actions. Draco was so unhappy that sometimes he wished that his father hadn't saved him.

The only thing that kept Draco sane was being with Harry, Ron, Luna, Neville and Ginny. To the displeasure of his parents and the ridicule of his wife, he spent as much time as possible with his friends. He engaged in one-on-one activities such as hunting for plants with Neville in the forests around his home; playing Wizarding Chess with Ron; and helping Luna post "Reward for Crumple-Horned Snorkack pictures" around Diagon Alley. Other times the whole group relaxed together at Harry's home or played quidditch at the Burrow; they even spent one hilarious afternoon de-gnoming the garden there for Mrs. Weasley. Being with his friends always gave Draco a feeling of peace that he didn't get from anyone at the Manor. He felt a sense of belonging and acceptance when he was with his friends. Hermione's absence was a constant ache that was only alleviated by being with each other.

~*~*~*~*~*~

_ August 19_

_Dear Professor McGonagall,_

_I'm sorry I didn't answer your last letter sooner. I've been so busy trying to get my life back in control. First I want to thank you for sending the letter of recommendation and my records to the University. They just needed those to officially enroll me, so that the courses that I've been auditing all summer will actually count. Getting back into an academic setting has been really good for me. I think I've managed to regain my equilibrium. _

_But I'm jumping ahead of myself. When I had last written I was still trying to acclimate myself to being in Massachusetts, where there was no war or Deatheater Hunting Teams. My uncle wasn't able to enroll me at the school that my cousins had attended. They were so stubborn about me not having my records. At least I was able to sit my Wizarding Aptitude Tests (the American's version of NEWTs ). I credit my Hogwarts education for my perfect WAT scores, which convinced the University to let me start classes, as mentioned above, without all the necessary paperwork. I'm ashamed to say it helped that my name was known as one of the "Seven Saviors" who fought against the terrorist Voldemort, as they call him here in America._

_I appreciate your good wishes for my health. According to the healers, my baby girl is developing perfectly and should be making an appearance within the next month or so. I feel fair, except that I've been overly anxious and tired. Everyone says that's normal for this stage of the pregnancy. However, I do look rather like a group of second years had been practicing engorgio on my middle. The leader of my cousins' coven, Donovan Michaels, offered to be with me for the birth. He's a good friend and really cares about me. I may take him up on the offer. He's been helping me get everything set for the baby. My aunt and uncle have let me turn the room next to mine into a nursery._

_I hope you know how grateful I am that you've been keeping me up to date on how my friends are. Leaving them was the hardest part of this. I'm thankful they no longer have to go out with the Hunting Teams and are able to go back to their normal lives. And no, I wasn't surprised to hear that Draco had asked three Gryffindors to stand up with him at his wedding. They had become really close before I left. I was glad to see they are still sticking together and helping each other through everything. __Thank you for sending the pictures. They all looked so handsome. __I do miss them so and the girls also.  
_

_I'm still not prepared to tell them about the baby yet, but would like them to know I'm safe. Would you let them know that I'm doing all right and am happy? I've been selfish to have not done this sooner. Please just keep my location secret. Thank you, professor, for everything. Your letters have helped me so much._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione_


	28. Interlude

Chapter 28 Interlude

_Last Chapter: (Letter to Minerva McGonagall dated August 19)... I'm still not prepared to tell them about the baby yet, but would like them to know I'm safe. Would you let them know that I'm doing all right and am happy? I've been selfish to have not done this sooner. Please just keep my location secret. Thank you, professor, for everything. Your letters have helped me so much.I'm still not prepared to tell them about the baby yet, but would like them to know I'm safe. Would you let them know that I'm doing all right and am happy? I've been selfish to have not done this sooner. Please just keep my location secret. Thank you, professor, for everything. Your letters have helped me so much._

_Sincerely, Hermione_

Minerva McGonagall had followed Hermione's request and sent an owl to Harry the day she received the young woman's letter. He had arrived at Hogwarts that evening at the appointed time. Walking into the Headmistress' temporary office, he had greeted her cordially and accepted her offer for tea.

"Is this about the modified NEWT exams that we took a couple of weeks ago?" he asked her. "I thought the results weren't going to available until the beginning of September."

"It's not about that, Harry," the witch said smiling. "Though I have it on good authority that Draco, Ron, Neville, and you have all done a credible job on them. The Ministry has awarded all of you automatic O's in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms for what they are calling "life credits" for your acts in the war."

Harry smiled in some amusement at that. He knew there was no way that anyone was going to fail four of the "Seven Saviors". It would have meant very bad press for the Ministry. Almost before the last Dark Arts practitioner had been locked up, the wizarding world had started celebrating in earnest. Harry and his friends had gone to dozens of parties and ceremonies in their honor and received much attention from the media and the public this summer. For a while they had really lived it up.

After a few weeks though, the group had grown weary of the fuss that was directed at them. None of them truly wanted to be celebrities. All they really wanted to do was get back to normal and spend time together. Eventually things had died down a bit, though they still received congratulations and thanks whenever they were out and about. The only one who had thrived during the media and party frenzy had been Daphne Malfoy, who in public milked her relationship to Draco for all it was worth. She was quite put out, when he flat out refused to attend any more parties where he was the guest of honor.

The only two ceremonies that had really mattered to them were the unveiling of the war memorial on the grounds of Hogwarts and the ceremony in the Minister of Magic's office, where they were each awarded the Order of Merlin First Class. There was one untouched medal left on the desk at the end of the private ceremony. The new Minister quietly announced that he would hold it for Hermione Jean Granger until she returned to claim it. The group had been silent for a moment thinking of their friend. They still keenly felt the void that she had left.

As if she had followed his train of thoughts, McGonagall said, "Harry, I have a message for you from Hermione."

His wandering thoughts focused on the witch immediately. "You've seen her? Is she all right? Do you know why she left? When is she coming home? " The questions came out so fast that they almost tangled themselves in his mouth.

"Hermione and I have been corresponding since she left. I'm sorry couldn't tell you, but she asked me not to until now. She's spent these past months trying to find herself again, and I believe she has succeeded. She wanted me to let you know that she's fine and she's happy. She's not ready to come back, but didn't want to worry any of you any longer. She was sorry that she hadn't done so sooner," the professor said to him gently.

"Professor, is she back with her family in America? We'd thought that was where she would go. The six of us said that we'd give her time to do whatever she had to do and then we would look for her. It's already been five months. I would like to find her now," Harry told his ex-Head of House.

McGonagall's eyes twinkled at him knowingly in a way that was reminiscent of the last Headmaster. However, she just answered, "Hermione asked me to keep her location private. She needs more time and doesn't want to be found just yet. I would give her a least a few more months before you try to fetch her. If she needs you, I will let you know."

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was just past five on a warm September night and Harry was dead tired. He and Ron had just _apparated_ back to Grimmauld Place to catch a shower before Ginny and Luna were to meet them for dinner once their classes were over. Though Hogwarts Castle wasn't open because of all the construction and repairs taking place, Headmistress McGonagall had arranged for the rental of a large building near the Ministry of Magic for the year. There were no dormitories, but day classes were available for those whose parents allowed them to commute.

Neville and Dahlia Thompson, the same shy girl that Neville had been dating in his sixth year, were also supposed to arrive at the house at any time. Dahlia was attending classes with Luna and Ginny. Through them, she had rekindled her romance with Neville. She wasn't that strong magically, but she had the same love for Herbology that he had. She absolutely adored him and thought his friends could do no wrong. She was a Hufflepuff, though there were technically no Houses this year, and in some ways appeared much more innocent than the other two seventh year girls. During the Battle of Hogwarts, she had seen no fighting. She had been put in charge of a safehouse full of first years since she was trustworthy, nurturing, and fiercely protective of those in her care. Everyone in the group enjoyed her company very much, in spite of or perhaps it was because of her tendency to mother them all.

Draco had said he would come to dinner also, though Daphne was neither interested in nor invited to attend. All of his friends knew how horrible his marriage really was, but out of respect for him they never brought it up. If he wanted to talk about it, they would be ready to listen. Until then, they just let it pass when he made comments like "Daphne can't make it. She's got other plans." Daphne always had "other plans" and had never once made it to one of their get togethers. Everyone was actually glad of that fact. The husband and wife did much better when they avoided each other as much as possible.

Harry had been feeling slightly sick for most of the day. He wondered if the sandwich he'd eaten for lunch had been a bit off, though it had tasted fine at the time. It had seemed really difficult to concentrate and get through the rest of the day at work. Normally, he loved his new job but this afternoon had seemed interminable. He hadn't been able to get his head focused on anything and wasn't sure why he had felt so anxious.

Ron seemed to be dragging a bit too. The redhead wearily went off to shower grumbling about how he shouldn't have stayed up so late the night before. Harry was about to head up when Luna and Ginny arrived. Giving Luna a peck on the cheek and Ginny a slightly more thorough snogging, he told them that he still needed to go upstairs to shower and change.

"Take your time, luv," Ginny answered. "We're both really knackered. Snape had us practically jumping through hoops during DADA. I thought he was strict in potions. He's been even more tyrannical since McGonagall gave him this spot!" She rubbed her back and added, "I think I might have strained a muscle or something. Do you have any pain potion? "

"Sorry, Gin, all out," Harry responded tiredly. "We can get some in Diagon Alley before dinner."

She nodded and slumped on the couch with fatigue next to Luna, whose eyes were closed and had a frowning look on _her_ face.

Harry went up the stairs and went directly into the bathroom. He was feeling a little bit better when he got out of the shower and started towards his bedroom to get dressed. Unexpectedly he was rocked by a powerful wave of feelings that nearly staggered him. He wasn't hurt, though. They were amazing feelings. He was thoroughly filled with triumph, joy, and elation. He hadn't even felt like this after defeating Voldemort. He felt like rejoicing! Without really thinking about what he was doing, he ran downstairs _needing_ to see the others.

Ron, Luna, and Ginny were in the living room with Neville and Dahlia, who had obviously come in while he was upstairs. Neville's girlfriend was on the couch laughing in amused bafflement at the other four who were dancing around the room smiling like maniacs. Draco appeared in the doorway having just arrived at the house. He had a happy bemused expression and watched the others with with a grin. Harry just grabbed the blond Slytherin and pulled him into the room; the two of them laughed like loons without knowing why.

Suddenly an overwhelming feeling of love and serenity suffused Harry's entire being. He stepped forward and impulsively enveloped Draco in a tight embrace. Amazingly, he felt the other wizard's arms come about him and squeeze him back. He felt a rush of bodies as everyone else in the room, except Dahlia, sandwiched the two of them and turned it into a group hug. For a moment he felt utterly content in a way that he never had before. From the looks on everybody's faces, they were experiencing the exact same bliss.

After a moment the intensity of the feelings faded, and Harry abruptly realized that he still had his arms around Draco and he was smushed in the middle of the others. He dropped his arms and stepped back as the others disengaged also. The six friends looked at each other with dumbfounded looks on their faces having no idea why they had just acted like that. Neville went to Dahlia and pulled her into his arms. She just kept giggling at them and hugged him back.

"What the hell was that?" Draco asked. He didn't sound angry though, his voice was mellow and full of wonder.

"I don't know," said Luna with a dreamy expression on her face, "but it was the best feeling I've ever had."

The rest of them couldn't help the goofy grins that appeared on their faces as they agreed with her.

"I know one thing, though," Ron said laughingly.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"I think you'd better pick up your towel, mate."

Harry realized that he had lost his towel during the group hug. He turned bright red red as he snatched it from the floor to cover himself. However, the good feelings still lingered and he couldn't help but join in as the rest of the group howled with laughter.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione was sitting in her eight o'clock Magical Theories Lecture class fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat. She tried to copy the notes that Professor Kendall had put up on the board in front of the class, but she just couldn't concentrate. Her lower back had been aching since yesterday and her legs were just killing her. The baby had been particularly active through the night after being rather quiet for the last few days. Hermione's daughter had been kicking and doing the belly roll all night long.

Hermione looked at her watch noting that only twenty minutes of the class had had gone by. _Oh Merlin, I should have skipped,_ she thought miserably_. I just need to take a nap. I barely got any sleep at all last night._

Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. Her eyes widened. Dropping her quill onto the table, she put her hands on her stomach feeling it start to harden and clench beneath palms. After a long moment it subsided and her stomach was as relaxed as it could be with a baby taking up all the available space. _Was that a Braxtion-Hicks contraction? _Hermione checked her watch and noted the time. Of course she had read every single wizarding and muggle book on childbirth that she could get her hands on. She'd also taken a natural birthing course with Donovan and knew what she should do.

She waited without drawing attention to herself and sure enough she felt the tightening begin again. This time the pain was a bit more intense and she winced as her stomach became as hard as a rock for a couple of minutes before subsiding into malleable flesh again. She looked at her watch: only six minutes had gone by. _That's not right,_ she thought in surprise. _All the books say that early contractions should be about twelve to twenty minutes apart._

Exactly six minutes after her second contraction, the next one came much harder than the first two. She couldn't stop her gasp of surprise at the intensity of this one. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly, holding her hands on her stomach until the pain once again ebbed. She continued to breathe deeply for a moment longer. _I don't think this is early labor, _she thought though she wasn't panicked.

She opened her eyes and looked up to realize that Professor Kendall had stopped lecturing and every eye in the class was upon her. He had been calling her name, or at least what he thought was her name, since her first gasp.

"Miss Langstrom, are you all right?" Hermione hadn't answered at first, having forgotten in the midst of what was going on with her body that everyone, except for her family and the Deans of the University, knew her as Harmony Langstrom. "Miss Langstrom?" he repeated in concern.

"I think I'm going into labor," she told the wizard, not expecting the tempest in a teapot that was about to erupt.

"Oh my stars!" he yelled in a complete panic, clearly never having been around a woman having a baby. He started pointing to various students. "You, call campus security! You, get someone from the Infirmary! You, go get Professor Langstrom from Twillinger Hall! Quick conjur up some blankets for Miss Langstrom! Boil some water! Sit back down!" The last was directed at Hermione with a wild gesture of his hands as she had stood up wanting to calm _him_ down.

Hermione just needed to get outside. Though her contractions were closer than she had expected, she knew they were still far enough apart that she had a while before the actual big event. Donovan was supposed to pick her up from class when it ended in about fifteen minutes anyway. She had taken him up on his offer to be her birth coach and she knew he would get her to the wizarding hospital in time.

"No really, I'm fine. No need to panic. I just need to go-" Hermione began but was cut off as another contraction stole her breath. She gripped the desk with one hand, hunching over slightly and held her belly with her other hand until it passed. She breathed like she had been taught and was handling everything with her usual calm efficiency. _I really am okay._ Checking her watch, she saw that she was still at about six minutes between contractions. _So far so good._

However, her latest contraction had thrown the professor into an even bigger tizzy. He conjured a blanket that wrapped itself around her and ended up bumping her back into her seat. "Don't worry, you'll be fine," he said to her completely unnerved. As she struggled to unwrap herself and get back up, the other students just looked on in amazement not knowing what to do.

Suddenly, a pile of people rushed into the room. Two campus security guards came in brandishing wands. Three student-healers-in-training from the University Infirmary came in chattering excitedly about this being their first baby delivery. Hermione just wanted to get away from them all. She had just gotten untangled when another strong contraction hit her. She closed her eyes and forced the confused babble of voices out of her mind. Concentrating on her breathing and visualization techniques, she rode out the wave of pain. When she opened her eyes, everyone was still there loudly arguing about what to do with her.

"What the hell is going on in here?" called a strong male voice from the doorway.

She looked up in relief as she saw Donovan walking towards her followed closely by Uncle Ethan. Her uncle took one look at the confusion and knew it had been caused by his neurotic colleague. He grinned at her calm face and winked at her reassuringly. With a glance at Donovan, he went to diffuse the situation at the front of the room.

Donovan went straight to Hermione's side. "Are you all right?"

She smiled at him gratefully ignoring the loud voices around them. "This little one wants to be born now. Can you get me to the hospital?"

His eyes widened, but he didn't panic. He looked at the woman who had come to matter so much to him and reached for her. The handsome wizard swept her up into his arms and strode from the room, taking her away from the chaos that had surrounded her.

Hermone's daughter was born at exactly twelve fifty-seven in the afternoon. Donovan stayed by at her side the entire time offering her emotional support and alleviating whatever physical pains he could. He held her hand, rubbed her back, and smoothed her hair from her perspiring face. He conjured warm packs for her lower back, cool clothes for her forehead, and ice chips for her mouth. He told her funny stories to distract her, gave her pep talks when she was discouraged, and strengthened her when she was too tired to push. He never mentioned that when she was so deeply focused on the act of labor that she called him by another wizard's name.

As the healer urged her to push that one final time, Hermione put all her effort into bringing her child into the world. When her daughter finally slipped free and Hermione heard her first cry, her entire being was filled to bursting with feelings of triumph, joy, and elation. _I did it! We did it! _She rejoiced wholly at this awesome moment. _She's here! _The healer took the baby away for a few moments to clean her up and make sure all was well with the newborn.

When her child was placed in her arms for the first time, Hermione took one look at her and was filled with more_ love_ than she had ever imagined herself feeling for another human being. It didn't matter what else had happened, being a mother to this little girl filled the eighteen year old with a complete sense of _peace_ and _serenity_. Smiling gently at her new daughter, Hermione knew everything was going to be all right.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Authors Note:

Time Difference: London is five hours ahead of Boston.


	29. The Letters Part II

Chapter 29 Letters Part II

Last Chapter: _When her child was placed in her arms for the first time, Hermione took one look at her and was filled with more love than she had ever imagined herself feeling for another human being. It didn't matter what else had happened, being a mother to this little girl filled the eighteen year old with a complete sense of peace and serenity. Smiling gently at her new daughter, Hermione knew everything was going to be all right._

_October 12_

_Dear Minerva,_

_...still not quite back at 100%. Please thank Professor Snape for the Strengthening Potion recipe that you got from him for me. It worked very well and I'm only a little bit rundown now. Everyone says it takes time to get used to taking care of a new baby. She's such a joy that I don't mind the tiredness. You're right. She is gorgeous, though it's still too early to tell what she'll really look like yet, and no, her eyes haven't settled on a color though they definitely aren't brown._

_Thank you so much for the wonderful gifts for her. The blankets and clothing are perfect as winter seems to have come early to the region. I had no idea that the sheep raised on your brother's property produced such cloud soft wool. The silver vanity set is something that she will cherish for a lifetime. I do have to laugh because she does have such crazy little tufts of blond hair. My cousins tease me that if it grows out like mine, she'll probably end up wearing the set out before she's ten._

_Seriously though, Minerva, you don't have to keep sending her more things every time you write. You've thanked me enough already. Just because she's your namesake, doesn't mean that you're obligated to ..._

Hermione looked at the letter she was writing and tried to figure out how to tactfully end that sentence. Minerva really was going way overboard, but she was just so thrilled that Hermione had given the little girl her name. Hermione thought back to the day of Emmie's birth.

_She was sitting up in bed after having been cleaned up and pronounced in great shape by the healer. The new mother was cradling her daughter in her lap showing her off to her aunt, uncle, and cousins who were clustered around her. She had just nursed her daughter successfully for the first albeit short time, and the baby had fallen asleep. Donovan was sitting next to her on the bed, looking at both of them in wonder._

"_She's so beautiful. I remember when my two were that little." Aunt Eva said causing Thomas to roll his eyes, though he did hug his mother affectionately. "What are you going to name her?"_

_Hermione had thought for a long time about what to call her child ever since she had found out she was having a girl. When things had ended with Draco she knew the baby would never have his surname, but she had wanted to acknowledge his status somehow. She knew if she ever returned to England, she couldn't use anything that would be too obvious. Draca is a horrible name anyway, she grimaced distastefully. Being who she was, she had headed to the nearest library and done some research. She had come up with an idea that had seemed like a good compromise._

"_Her name is Minerva Eltanin Granger," Hermione told her relatives proudly._

"_That's an unusual choice, but quite elegant," Uncle Ethan had commented. "What made you pick it? Minerva with the scales of justice? I've never heard of Eltanin before."_

"_Not quite," replied the girl telling half of the truth. "She's named after the Hogwarts Headmistress who was my Head of House at Hogwarts." Her uncle had smiled and made an "ahh" sound._

"_Isn't she the one who is always writing to you from England?" asked Melissa._

_Hermione had nodded saying, "She's always been a special mentor to me since I was eleven. She helped me to leave England both times and has always supported me."_

"_She sounds like a wonderful person," agreed Aunt Eva gently stroking the baby's head. "This little one will have some wonderful role models."_

"_I thinks it's quite a mouthful for such a tiny thing," said Thomas smiling. He tilted his head to the side as he pondered for a little bit. "I know. I'm going to call her M.E. for short."_

"_You're going to call Hermione's baby 'me'?" Melissa looked at her brother like he was crazy._

"_No, oblivious sister-of-mine. I'm going to call her 'Emmie' for her initials. Get it? It's a great name for a little itty-bitty girl like her." Thomas looked proud of himself._

"_Emmie," mused Hermione. "I really like that. Emmie it is." She beamed happily at her family._

Hermione smiled at the memory. Quickly finishing her letter, she sealed it and put it in her bag to send from the University's international mail station. She heard Emmie fussing having awakened from her nap and went to retrieve the infant.

It wasn't a surprise to anyone that Hermione had taken to motherhood like a duck to water. She loved everything about Emmie and took great joy in caring for her. She had decided to stop attending classes for the semester so that she wouldn't be away from Emmie in the daytime. When she went back for the spring session, there was a really good daycare on campus where she could leave Emmie while she was in class.

Her professors had been very understanding, telling her that she could retake their courses next semester without any penalty. Professor Kendall went above and beyond that. He was so embarrassed by his actions on the day of Emmie's birth that he offered to oversee Hermione if she wanted to complete an independent study from home. That way she wouldn't lose any credits this semester. She had gratefully accepted the offer and decided to write a paper on _spellsinging_.

_November 17_

_Dear Minerva,_

_...is growing like a weed. She's such a good baby, though she is somewhat of a night owl. The lack of sleep has been making me really anxious during the day. However, my family has been a huge help. Melissa's classes and hospital shifts are all in the afternoon and evening, so she's been taking care of Emmie in the mornings so I can catch up on my rest. Donovan has made a point of coming over every evening after work to spend time with the both of us or we go over to the house that he and Thomas share. I'm pretty sure by now that he'd like more than just friendship. I don't know what to do..._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione_

_December 5_

_Dear Minerva,_

_... banging on the front door in the middle of the night! He had just finished reading my paper and demanded to know if I had tested out my "theory" about the energy release patterns of spellsinging. If I thought he was in a frenzy the day Emmie was born, that was nothing compared to this! When I showed Professor Kendall that it actually worked, he almost had a heart attack. The next thing I knew, he had me up in front of the Deans demonstrating it for them. Apparently this is a really big deal! It's going to be published in the Journal of Magical Theory next month. Can you believe they've already asked me to turn it into a book..._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione_

_December 19_

_Dear Minerva,_

_...not surprised to know Neville has taken on the project of designing and restocking the Hogwarts' green houses. His knowledge of Herbology is exceptional and he has always wanted to go into that field. I'm glad Ginny and Luna are also doing so well. I do admit that I'm sorry to have missed out on getting a Hogwarts diploma, though I shouldn't complain as I have so many good things going on in my life right now. I know they've been hounding you about me, but tell them I'm not ready to come back yet._

_Thanks you for letting me know that Harry, Draco and Ron were all fine. You're right to chide me on my lack of respect for Divination, but you must admit that it wasn't true this time either. You know I've been dreaming about them since I left. However, this particular dream was so vivid, even though it's ludicrous for me to imagine that Harry would harm Draco. My heart was beating so fast when I woke up. I could actually see a group of aurors apprehending a screaming Harry, while Draco lay bleeding on the ground..._

_Happy holidays,_

_Hermione_

Back in England the year was coming to an end and the wizarding world had finally reached some kind of normalcy. Fudge had been forced to step down from his office in May due to huge public outcry against his incompetence in dealing with Voldemort. He had been lucky to retain his magic. Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken his place as the new Minister of Magic. In the seven months since being put into office, he had shaken up the Ministry and cleaned house. Gone were the days of complacecent, lazy bureaucrats. Under his guidance the Ministry was fast becoming a place known for efficiency and action. He was known to be hardworking, innovative and fair. He didn't kowtow to anyone. It was rather refreshing to all except to the remainders of the 'good old wizard network' that hadn't completely faded with the end of Voldemort.

Nymphadora Tonks had been promoted to the Head Auror position. She could often be seen striding around the auror offices and training area with her twelve month old son. How someone with a drooly, cookie-eating baby on her hip could cause a roomful of aurors to frantically increase their efforts with a single look was a complete mystery to Kingsley. However, since it worked, he didn't complain. He tried to keep his nose out of his old stomping grounds as he didn't want to undermine her authority. He couldn't help it sometimes though, as he liked to check on the progress of her three newest aurors: Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and surprisingly enough: Draco Malfoy.

It was well known that Harry and Ron had always wanted to be aurors. Their spots had essentially been reserved for them since the death of Voldemort. Draco's decision to travel the same path as his friends was met with consternation from various quarters. Though he had clearly proven that he was a Light wizard, the fact that he was a Malfoy, who bore a Dark Mark, had caused some within the Ministry to question his intentions. However, with the backing of Minister Kingsley, Head Auror Tonks, and a slew of aurors who had watched him fight in the final battle, not to mention Harry and Ron, any opposition was thoroughly quelled.

Draco had resisted his father's efforts to coerce him into joining Malfoy Enterprises. The eighteen year old had finally figured out that doing what his father wanted never seemed to work out. Right now the only good things in his life were his friendships that his father had _no_ say in. Becoming an auror was probably the only career that he could choose that Lucius wouldn't be able to control. He would finally have a real chance to do something on his own. _To show the world who I really am,_he thought using Hermione's words._I'll make you proud of me,_ he silently promised her. It was an added bonus that his best mates were there with him.

Draco, Harry, and Ron had come in an hour early to get in some extra _spellsinging_ practice before the other aurors arrived. They hadn't said anything, fearing to be thought of as arrogant gits, but the training drills they were being taught weren't nearly as challenging as their sessions with their friends at Hogwarts. They didn't mean to imply that being an auror was easy; learning the ins and outs of procedures and law was fascinating. However, their fighting and magical skills were way beyond what was expected of the usual fledgling aurors. Instead of rocking the boat though, they had gotten into the habit of giving themselves an extra workout before anyone else came in.

They were currently playing a game called Bandit that Hermione had invented when they were preparing for battle last winter. Draco was _spellsinging_ offensive hexes and curses at a small charmed target, or "Bandit," that was quickly zipping about the room in a random pattern. _Forty-two, Forty-three, Forty-four,_ he counted in his head. It would stop moving when it had been hit with 50 hexes or curses. He darted and dodged among the wooden training structures that dotted the arena chasing the glowing bludger-sized Bandit.

Ron was moving in concert with him _spellsinging_defensive shields and spells around both of them. Harry was rapidly firing hexes and curses at Draco and Ron, trying to find a hole in Ron's shields in order to hit his friends. He had found a few already as the numerous cuts and small wounds on the two men would attest. However, he hadn't incapacitated either of them. They ducked the conference table that Harry magically flung at them and they had to spring apart to avoid the spells that he shot at them anticipating their actions. Ron magically sent the chairs hurtling towards where he thought the curses had come from.

The trick of the game is that the primary shooter is not allowed to cast spells at anything but the Bandit. That meant that Draco had to depend solely on Ron to protect him and/or to stop Harry. There needed to be a lot of trust and communication between them for this to work. If Harry downed Ron, Draco would be a sitting duck since he wasn't allowed to defend himself magically. If Harry got Draco, the pair automatically lost because Ron was not allowed to shoot at the Bandit. They needed to work as a team in order to succeed at their task. If Draco was able to score the fifty hits on the small fast bandit without being stopped, they won.

"Down," Ron yelled at Draco, who immediately dropped to the ground as a flash of blue shot above him. Ron turned and shot a hex at Harry who ducked behind another structure. Ron viciously cast an exploding curse at the wood and it blew up. Harry expected this kind of move in the game and was no longer behind the structure as it blew apart. They only used lighter hexes_directly_ on each other, but were allowed to use as much force as they wanted on inanimate objects to stop their opponents.

Draco popped back up and oriented on the Bandit again, zinging it with three more spells. _Forty-five, Forty-six, Forty-seven,_he counted to himself. Running after the Bandit he called, "Ron."

"Right here," the redhead said. The two dashed behind another structure as Harry's curses flew past them. Draco saw the Bandit swinging around a mock building ahead of them. He shot off a quick _spellsong_, zinging it twice as it turned the corner. _Forty-eight, Forty-nine._He heard a startled profanity from his partner and turned to see the red haired man fall to an _Impedimenta._

"Crap!" Draco shouted. He took off full speed after the Bandit knowing Harry was hot on his tail. If he could just get his last shot at the Bandit before Harry took him down. _Where are you, you frieaking thing?_ He ran a zig-zag pattern feeling the passage of various spells missing him by centimeters. To his left a pile of rocks suddenly flew at him. He threw up his arm to shield his face and grunted as he felt them impact his that whole side of his body. A trickle of warmth below his ear let him know that at least one had cut him. Harry wasn't pulling any punches.

He caught sight of the Bandit careening around a structure going into a cleared area that he knew was up ahead. He turned to go around another obstacle hoping to cut it off. He could hear Harry _spellsinging_ behind him he dove into the clearing, rolling sideways while he fired off three successive curses towards the Bandit. He hoped one would hit. He felt Harry's spells strike him just as his last two spells struck the Bandit and it dropped to the ground. _Fifty!_ His body locked, but the force of his dive kept him rolling until he came to a stop up against the legs of none other than Head Auror Tonks.

The metamorphmagus had been looking around the demolished training arena in disbelief when Draco came running, or perhaps rolling would be a better description, into the area by the door. She and the aurors who had just arrived looked at his bloody neck and frozen body in horror and drew their wands to face his assailant.

"Got you, Malfoy!" yelled Harry as he came running out from between structures a scant two seconds later. He was greeted by the sight of eight incredulous aurors with wands pointed directly at him.

Skidding to a stop, he put his hands in the air saying, "Uh...hi boss?"

At dinner, the three were still laughing about the whole thing as they told their friends about it. At first they had been smarting from the verbal lashing that Tonks had subjected them to in her office. How she kissed that baby of hers with a mouth like that, they couldn't understand. After reaming them out about wrecking the training area and practicing such potentially dangerous spells without authorization or supervision, she had eventually run down and told them to get the hell out of her office and go fix her arena. They swore to each other that next time they wouldn't get so involved in the game that they lost track of time.

They had gone back down to the training facilities after their lecture expecting the other aurors to be sore at them. Instead they found the entire place had already been repaired and their colleagues wanting to know if they had any more "games" to play. The three men had grinned and started a game of Capture the Flag ala Hermione. Being an auror was the best!

January 9

Dear Minerva,

_..letting things develop naturally was good advice. So I guess you could say we're officially a couple. It's funny that he and I started out backwards. I mean he helped me through childbirth first, and now we're dating. It's strange in a nice way. We're just seeing where things go, but he just fits in so well with us. He's already considered a member of the family since Melissa, Thomas and he are a coven. Most importantly, he is always wonderful with Emmie._

_I know I'm already a mother, but I admit I've never had a normal romantic relationship. I never told you about Emmie's father, but trust me when I say that our relationship was anything but typical. I still think of him, but that's never going to be a reality. I should move on, as he has. Donovan has been so good to me..._

_...Tell them I'm thinking of them._

_Fondly,_

_Hermione_

_February 6_

_Dear Minerva,_

_...Donovan, Melissa, and Thomas have asked me to join their coven again. I'm seriously considering it this time around. I can't explain it well, but I sometimes feel so alone even though I'm surrounded by wonderful caring people. I miss Harry and the others so much that I almost ache when I think of them. I want to come home so badly sometimes._

_I have to think of Emmie, though. I can tell from your hints about her last picture that you suspect who her father is. Now that her eyes have settled into that distinctive silvery-gray and she has that pointy little chin, it's not that hard to figure out. After all, you've known him as long as you have me._

_Can you see my dilemma? You know how his family is about blood status; they wouldn't take kindly to a halfblood child "sullying" their line. I don't think I can risk bringing Emmie back. I also don't want to cause a rift between my friends. From what you've told me he really needs them. I don't want to make them choose..._

_Sincerely,_

_Hermione_

_March 9_

_Dear Minerva,_

_...hectic around here getting ready for Melissa's wedding. Things have really moved forward between Donovan and me. He told me that he's fallen in love with me. He wants to marry me and adopt Emmie. Everyone is treating us as if we are already a single unit. I'm not in love with him yet, but I could let myself be. He's a wonderful wizard and he treats Emmie and me with such care._

_Minerva, I've come to a decision. I'm going to join their coven when Alex, Melissa's fiance, does. When I do, the bond will create a permanent link connecting all of us for the rest of our lives_. _I think that it would be a forgone conclusion that Donovan and I would eventually marry._

_I need to let the past go and stop pretending that me being here is only temporary. This will be Emmie's home so I'll need to do whatever I can to give her a good life. It's hard to think of completely leaving my friends behind, but I get so depressed and sad when I think of them. This is the best solution. Everyone in England has been doing so well without me that I know they'll be all right._

_Now I just have to tell them. I should do it in person, but if I see any of them I think they'll make me change my mind. Please give them the letter that I'm enclosing ..._

_Gratefully,_

_Hermione_

Harry arrived at Neville's house a little bit later than everyone else. McGonagall had owled him to stop by her office in the rental building after he was done with work. She had given him a letter from Hermione! He couldn't wait to tell the others. This was her first communication that was directly from her. She had sent numerous good wishes and assurances, but they were always filtered through the Headmistress.

When he walked in, the others were already there. They looked at him and knew right away that something was up. Harry was fairly bursting with eagerness, so they gave him their full attention. He got straight to the point.

"Professor McGonagall gave me a letter from Hermione."

A babble of voices answered him.

"What does it say?"

"Is she all right?"

"Let me see it!"

"Is she coming home?"

Harry held up a hand to stop them. When they had quieted he said, "I haven't read it yet. The professor told me that Hermione wanted us to read it together."

"Then do it, Harry," Ron demanded.

They all waited as Harry broke the seal and read it to them:

_Dear Harry, Ron, Neville, Draco, Luna, and Ginny,_

_It's been a long year for me and I thank you having the patience to let me work things out on my own. I'm sure you must have figured out that I'm in the States with my relatives again. They really helped me sort myself out. I ran away from England because I couldn't handle the things going on in my life there. I know it was selfish, but I was too overwhelmed to make any other decision at the time._

_I 'm so sorry that I am going to break the promise that I made to you. I'm going to ask you to let me go again. I've decided that I'm not going to be returning to England and am going to make this my home permanently. The reasons are still complicated, and I just can't come back to you. I've missed each of you every day since I left, and want you to know that our friendships will always mean so much to me._

_I'm going to be joining my cousins' coven later this month and I will be marrying Donovan this summer. The magic of the coven's bond will bind us together and I will owe my loyalties to them after this. I won't ever forget about any of you though; we went through too much together for that to happen. I'll always hold you in my heart. I hope you'll forgive me one day for doing this._

_Minerva has told me all about the wonderful things that you six have accomplished in my absence. I'm so proud of you. I know you'll be fine without me; you already are. Take care of yourselves and each other. Thank you for everything you've done for me and been to me. I will always love you all._

_Your friend,_

_Hermione_

There wasn't a word said after Harry finished reading the letter. Everyone was stunned. They hadn't followed Hermione because she and Minerva had asked them not to. They had always believed that their friend would come back. Now she was telling them that it wasn't _ever_going to happen. They didn't know what to do or think. Without words they were able to communicate their confusion and pain.

Draco broke the silence having come to a decision a year too late. He confessed quietly, "I'm the reason she left in the first place."

All eyes whipped to him. His friends could see that he was completely serious. His eyes were bright with unshed tears and he wouldn't look directly at any of them. He was completely different from the self-assured man that they had come to know in the past fifteen months.

Harry asked him simply, "What do you mean, Draco?"

Authors Note:

_Eltanin – the brightest star in the constellation Draco _


	30. Confessions and Covens

Chapter 30 Confessions and Covens

_Last Chapter: Draco broke the silence having come to a decision a year too late. He confessed quietly, "I'm the reason she left in the first place." All eyes whipped to him. His friends could see that he was completely serious. His eyes were bright with unshed tears and he wouldn't look directly at any of them. He was completely different from the self-assured man that they had come to know in the past fifteen months. __Harry asked him simply, "What do you mean, Drac_o?"

Draco looked at the people who had become his family and support system over that last year. He knew he needed to confess his sins to them and that by doing so he could possibly lose them all. Part of him wanted to take it back and say "just kidding" but he had finally grown up out of his self-centeredness and discovered that the needs of others could be more important than his own.

"I meant exactly what I said, Harry," Draco replied honestly. "It's because of me that Hermione isn't here. If I get away from all of you, maybe you can convince her to come back."

"What are you talking about, Draco?" asked Luna forcing him to look at her. "You'd better explain from the beginning without talking about you leaving too."

"You may not want me to stay once I do," he answered, "but it's been a long time coming. You deserve to know what really happened."

So Draco told them everything that had happened between himself and Hermione since the beginning of seventh year. They had known about their budding friendship and Hermione's promise to Dumbledore, but not about the attraction between the Heads that both had been fighting the whole first term. He told them how Hermione had returned early from the holiday break. He closed his eyes in shame when he told them about the _Exitosus Saevio _curse and what he had done to her. He didn't want to see their condemnation. He told them about how she had been able to saved him and how she forgave him and how he had finally admitted that he loved her. He told them how they had spent each night just holding each other and why they never told anyone.

Draco told them how Hermione was the one who always held him together and gave him courage when he had thought he couldn't handle going to Deatheater meetings anymore. He told them how they had finally become lovers again and why they had hidden it even after the battle while living in Grimmauld Place. He told them the reality about his mother's medical condition, his father's manipulations, and the truth about why he had married Daphne. Finally he told them about his last conversation with Hermione and her letter to him.

"I was insulting, stupid, and just plain wrong. She forgave me for it, but in her letter to me she said it hurt her too much to be around me. She thought I had never really loved her," Draco finished miserably. "I should have told you this when she left, but I was still too afraid. I thought you'd hate me and I'd lose you too." He added in a low voice, "I'm sorry I fucked it all up again."

"Oh Draco," Luna said seeing how much those words cost him, as he had never apologized for anything in his life. "You did so many things wrong, but you paid a price too. You hurt yourself, as well as Hermione. You're not the same person we went to Hogwarts with. You're not even the same person you were when Hermione left. You've changed the most out of any of us." Something wouldn't let her repudiate the man in front of her.

"I think I've changed because of everything that's happened since then: her leaving, how it is at the Manor, and most of all because of you. Having your friendship has changed my whole perception of everything. I'd understand though, if you want me to leave now," he said looking scared but determined to do the right thing. "I've been a selfish idiot, but I never meant to drive her out of your lives too."

"There will be no more talk about you going anywhere," Harry ordered firmly, looking at him with his bright green eyes. He believed this Draco was far different from the one who made those choices. "Yes, you made some huge mistakes, but you've come a long way since then. I think you've punished yourself enough by marrying Daphne and losing Hermione. I'll agree with Luna. You're our friend and we won't abandon you. Right Neville? Ginny? Ron?"

Neville quietly asserted that he would stand by the Draco. He loved Hermione and missed her, but he understood more about the man's choices than anyone realized. He too had grown up with an overwhelming parental figure, his Grandmother. She wasn't an evil git like Lucius, but it had taken Neville a long time to stand up to her for himself. He _still_ wasn't able to completely ignore her wishes. He just thanked Merlin that she approved of Dahlia and would welcome her into the family. Neville also was glad that he didn't have to choose between his Hufflepuff and his mother. Would he give up his own chance at happiness to see his mother out of St. Mungo's? He didn't want to think about it; he was just glad that he would never have to make that choice.

Ginny didn't answer right away. She looked first at the others before bringing her eyes back to Draco's pleading ones. She gazed intently at him before making her judgement.

"I am so pissed off at you right now, Draco Malfoy. How could you do this to her again? You knew she loved you and you broke her heart again. She cried every night after the Valentine's Day dance. What do you think she must have felt when she left last year? You can be such an arsehole. Part of me wants to hex you to the moon and back," she ranted at him. She threw him a disgusted glare then closed her eyes and rubbed her face. When she opened her eyes she was still pissed off, but at herself as well. "I don't know why, but another part of me feels so freaking bad for _you_ at the same time. Maybe it's because Hermione isn't here and I can't see the hurt you caused her, or maybe it's like Luna says and this year has made a difference in you. I just don't know! But I should feel like ripping your head off, and I can't do it. I'm not as angry at you as I should be. I don't like it." She finished crossly.

Draco wasn't sure if she was still mad at him or not after that confused speech. But since she hadn't told him to get the hell away from her, he'd take it as a good sign

"Ron?" Harry asked cautiously, but his friend didn't answer. He'd been silently thinking this entire time.

The redheaded man was looking at Draco with a flushed face and clenched fists. They could all see the conflicting emotions that were clearly showing on his face. Trying to figure out what to do about what he had just heard was obviously taxing his powers of reason. He wasn't strong magically like Harry or clever with books like Hermione; Ron's strength had always been his loyalty to his friends. He didn't know how to reconcile his conflicting loyalties to Hermione and Draco.

Ron had proclaimed himself to be Hermione's defender. At the first training session with Draco, he had said that he would take down the Slytherin if he ever hurt her again. However, so much else had happened in the intervening time. He'd come to know Draco best since they'd worked as partners most often. He'd promised to stand by the the blond on the night he found out he was to marry Daphne. They'd faced enemies together and saved each other's life numerous times. Hell, he actually liked the smart assed ferret. He'd never thought that Draco Ferret Malfoy would turn out to be _another_ best friend.

"Fuck!" he screamed completely baffled about what to do or think next. All of a sudden he launched himself at Draco swinging hard. His first blow caught the Slytherin in the face. The second hit Draco in the stomach, doubling him over. The third brought him back upright just in time for the fourth, which knocked him backward two steps. The fifth caused his head to snap back and blood to pool in his mouth. The blond spit it out as he gasped for breath. He put up his arms to ward off another blow, but made no move to retaliate against Ron. Clearly, he wasn't going to fight the redhead.

Ron hesitated as he stared at Draco who was looking at him warily through a rapidly swelling eye. The attack had happened so fast that only now was Harry able to step between the two with his hands up facing the other Gryffindor. Ron dropped his arms and ran one of his hands through his hair. "Fuck!" he said again in a lower voice. Shaking his head at the two men in front of him, he turned and stormed from the room punching the door on the way out.

Luna made to go after him, but Draco stopped her. "Let me talk to him. He and I have to work this out." He followed after Ron thinking that two years ago he would never have cared what a Weasley thought about him. He really had changed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione kissed a sleeping Emmie on the head and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The coven was going to do the bonding ceremony tonight in the field behind the Langstrom's house with the assistance of the elder Langstrom's coven. There were five members of the group that Uncle Ethan and Aunt Eva had formed when they were in their twenties. Joshua and Pauline Moore were another married couple. They had twin thirteen year old girls, Rebecca and Renee, who were going to babysit Emmie for the rest of the night. They were already ensconced in Hermione's room upstairs. The last member of the longstanding coven was Linda Marsh, a healer, who was Pauline's unmarried sister. The five were going to watch the ceremony and help with the after affects.

Hermione had learned what to expect from the Langstroms, and of course from the books that she _had_ to read on the subject. Donovan had laughed affectionately at her need to look everything up for herself. She had grumped at him wondering why everyone _always _made fun of her love of research. _They never complain when I find out all kinds of good stuff that helps them, _she complained to herself.

The ceremony itself wasn't too complicated. There were actually a few different variations that could be used. They all had to do with specific intentions and the sharing of power and emotions. The group that wished to bond had to pledge their magic freely and be willing to tie their fates to the others.

Apparently the coven would need to be exclusively together, preferably touching, for about twelve hours after the ceremony to appease the magic of the bond. After that, they would need to stay in close proximity to each other for a couple of days. Hermione had asked how they would get anything done if they had to always move as a pack. She had joked that it must make showering interesting. Ethan had laughed and said being within a few meters would suffice after the first twelve hours.

He had also explained that they wouldn't have to be with _every_ other member at all times. She would be all right as long as she was in the presence of at least one other person from the coven and could get together with them as a whole group whenever possible. If someone went off alone too soon, the bond would cause them to become emotionally upset and physically sick. It was the magic's way of keeping them close. The others would feel uneasy also and it would last until they were together again. He said it was a rare occurrence because newly bound coven members didn't usually want to leave each other within the first few days.

The Langstroms had set up the house shared by Donovan and Thomas to comfortably hold the five of them for the next few days. They had stocked it with food and entertainments, though they said the new coven would most likely just spend the time sitting around with each other. The three who were already bonded agreed, recalling their initial days as a coven fondly. The older folk would help them get settled then the five wouldn't need to leave the home for anything. Aunt Eva had taken time off from work to stay home with Emmie and she promised to bring her over in a couple of days once the initial bonding period was over. They had set up a nursery in the room next to the one her mother would be sharing with Donovan.

Hermione knew it could take days until they could comfortably be farther than a few rooms away from the others. It might take longer for Alex and her because the other three had been through this with each other once before. Over time, all would be able to spend longer amounts of time away and farther distances from each other, allowing them to live and work separately. However, they would always need to get back together physically to recharge the bond. Uncle Ethan had warned her that in extreme cases, coven members had died when separated from their bond mates for too long. The weaker a wizard's magical abilities, the shorter the time he could stay away from the others in his coven.

In the kitchen, Hermione looked down at the black long-sleeve dress that she wore. It swirled around her ankles and was embroidered along the neckline, wrists, and hem with an intricate pattern of geometric figures. Her hair was held back by ribbons with the same pattern etched upon them. She knew her cousin was in an identical dress. The men were wearing black pants and tunic type shirts with the same pattern accenting their collars and cuffs. This was one of the rituals for the ceremony. Melissa had chosen the outfits saying that the actual style didn't matter, they just had to clearly show that the group considered themselves a single entity.

When it was time, Hermione allowed Donovan to take her hand and lead her out the back door. Thomas followed them and Alex was behind him walking with Melissa. The light from the full moon illuminated the clearing and the older coven members who came forward to lead the five to their places in the middle of the area. Donovan had chosen the same ritual that the three who were already bound had completed three years ago. It would reaffirm their bond and tie Alex and Hermione into it as well. She felt a prickle of nervousness as they walked towards the ring of copper set in the middle of the yard. She pushed the feeling aside as she stepped into the ring with the others. The older coven moved back to watch.

Hermione had memorized the ritual and pulled out her wand like the others in preparation. Donovan, as recognized leader of the coven, began asking the formal questions in his strong clear voice. His role was to set the initial spells so that they could join their powers together. Melissa and Thomas looked at ease; they had done this before. It was only Alex and she who were nervous.

"Do you come to this circle of your own free will?" he asked the group stretching out his wandless hand palm up towards the center of the circle.

"I do," each replied placing his or her free hand atop of Donovan's hand in the middle so that they were all joined.

Donovan aimed his wand at their clasped hands and said, "_Spondeo._" A purple glow infused their hands. Hermione could feel the tingle of the spell. The others smiled at each other, but she felt a wisp of unease pass through her. _Stop being such a ninny_, she told herself.

"Do you intend to care for the well being of these wizards and witches forsaking all others?"

"I do," the other four returned in unison, though Hermione's voice was the weakest.

The dark haired leader said, "_Puteus Res,_" and the glow changed to an icy pink. Hermione's unease increased tenfold as the magic made her a little dizzy. _I don't think I'm supposed to feel like this._

"Do you declare your loyalty first and foremost to the wizards and witches of this coven?"

"I do," Hermione said with the others inwardly struggling to stay focused. Her wand hand shook a bit.

Donovan said, "_Pietatis._" The light turned to a glowing blue. She felt a sweat break out on her forehead as the magic touched her. She didn't feel well at all now and her breathing was unsteady. She could taste bile at the back of her throat.

"Do you freely promise to share your fate with the wizards and witches of this coven?"

"I do," Hermione mouthed the words but couldn't make her voice say them aloud with the others.

Donovan spoke the words, "_Iungo Fortuna,_" and the light turned a deep amber. The English witch's head started pounding and her stomach was roiling with nausea. _This is wrong._

"Do you pledge to join your magic to that of these witches and wizards for all time?"

"I do," Thomas, Melissa and Alex replied strongly lost in the wonder _they_ were feeling. Hermione couldn't say anything as the others brought their wands to bear on the joined hands. The others closed their eyes feeling the joy in the magic that was swirling around their hands. They were all supposed to simultaneously say the final incantation to kindle the five spells at once and call their bond into being.

Hermione's entire being screamed at her to pull her hand free. A blinding pain filled her head. _Let me go!_

Linda Marsh was the only one who seemed to notice Hermione's distress at first. She saw the girl stagger once and noticed the trickle of blood that had started to drip from her nose. "Oh Merlin," she gasped realizing at once what was happening. "Stop!" she shouted desperately. It was almost too late.

The older coven members had instantaneously turned at her cry, picking up on her urgency. Luckily they were so attuned to each other after all these years that they knew what she was trying to convey. Ethan was closest to Hermione and received a shock when he turned to her and saw the expression and blood on her face. Acting without hesitation, he grabbed her arm and yanked her out of the circle just as the other four within shouted, "Vox Partis!"

The light that had been hovering about the joined hands shot upwards and turned into a bright white dome that snapped into place surrounding the three wizards and single witch who had remained in their original places. Hermione's lower left arm and and hand were the only parts of her still within the circle as her uncle frantically pulled her sideways. They were caught in the flood of light for just a couple of seconds. The eighteen year old screamed in shock and horror as they seemed to catch fire and she fainted from the sheer agony of it.

Ethan pulled his niece closer to him removing her completely from the light. He sat down on the ground cradling her unconscious form away from the newly expanded coven. Eva and Linda rushed over to the pair. Linda immediately started healing the charred skin on her forearm and hand.

"You know what this means?" Linda asked the others softly as she continued to repair the damage on the brown haired witch's arm. They nodded solemnly.

"I had no idea," Ethan said with compassion, "but it explains why she had such a hard time recovering from Emmie's birth when the healers couldn't find anything else wrong with her."

"And the constant tiredness, the headaches, the emotional swings, and the dreams," added Eva gently using a handkerchief to wipe the blood from Hermione's ashen face. "The poor child. Why didn't we see it before?"

"It never occurred to any of us that it was possible, but we'll find out how it happened," her husband answered.

"How long do you think it's been?" Linda asked as she finished with the healing.

"We can't know for sure. She's by far the strongest witch that I've ever come across. I don't think she even knows how gifted she really is. If it's been as long as I think it has, she would be dead or insane by now if she was anyone else." Ethan looked at her wonderingly. Abruptly changing the subject he asked, "How are our children and the others?"

He looked over and saw that the light had faded. Thomas, Melissa and their bond mates had come through as expected. Donovan was standing with Alex's arm draped over his shoulder clearly supporting the other man. Melissa was in her brother's arms too weak to stand, but holding onto Alex's hand for dear life. They were looking at the group kneeling by Hermione in consternation.

"Hermione," Donovan called worried about the injured woman, but the magic of the bond was telling him he had to stay with _his_ coven. It wasn't calling him to _her_. Ethan could see the internal war he was fighting.

"Go home with your coven," ordered Ethan. "You can't do anything here. She'll be fine, Donovan. We'll take care of her."

Donovan bowed his head in frustration, but he couldn't fight the demands of the coven's bond. Not now, when he had a brand new bond mate that needed him. The four _apparated_ away. Joshua, Pauline and Eva disappeared also as they went to make sure that all was well with the four.

Ethan used e_nervate _to revive Hermione. She looked around in confusion at the deserted yard and then at Ethan and Linda. "What happened?" she asked dazedly.

"Let's get you inside and we'll explain there."

He picked up Hermione and carried her back to the house followed by Linda. Hermione was completely bewildered about what had just happened. She felt really weary, but the head pain and nausea that she had experience earlier were gone. Once inside, her uncle set her down on the couch covering her with a throw. She looked at him questioningly.

"Sweetheart, I'm sorry to have to tell you that the coven's bond wouldn't accept you. Actually, between it and your own bond's magic, you would probably have died if we hadn't pulled you from the circle before the completion of the ceremony?" her uncle told her in grave voice.

"What do you mean _my _bond?" she asked him in confusion.

"Hermione, the way the magic reacted clearly tells us that you have a pre-existing magical binding. Whether you knew it of not, you are already part of a coven."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Far away, several others awoke in their various beds with sweat or tear streaked faces. Visions of fire and death passed through their minds like a hazy memory. They each felt a ghost of lingering pain in their left arms and hands, but saw nothing out of the ordinary when they checked. Despite their feelings of uneasiness, each rationalized it as a nightmare or a memory from more dangerous times. Returning to sleep, none thought it worth mentioning to the others when they saw them next.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

_Spondeo Vox_ – Promises Shared

_Puteus Res_ - Well Being

_Pietatis_ - Loyalty

_Iungo Fortuna_ - Connected Fates

_Vox Partis_ - Share Power


	31. Explanations and Stubbornness

Chapter 30: Explanations and Stubbornness

_Last Chapter: __"Hermione, the way the magic reacted clearly tells us that you have a pre-existing magical binding. Whether you knew it of not, you are already part of a coven." __Far away, several others awoke in their various beds with sweat or tear streaked faces. Visions of fire and death passed through their minds like a hazy memory. They each felt a ghost of lingering pain in their left arms and hands, but saw nothing out of the ordinary when they checked. Despite their feelings of uneasiness, each rationalized it as a nightmare or a memory from more dangerous times. Returning to sleep, none thought it worth mentioning to the others when they saw them next._

Hermione was still trying to take in what her Uncle Ethan had said to her. The Moores and Aunt Eva had returned saying that everything at Donovan's house was going normally. Now they wanted to concentrate on what had happened to Hermione. Four of the older coven were sitting with her in the living room, while Aunt Eva had gone upstairs to check on the children.

"Are you sure you never had a bonding ceremony of any type?" Joshua Moore was asking her for about the tenth time.

"I think I'd remember something like that," Hermione replied in exasperation.

"I think we might be going about this the wrong way," said his sister-in-law, Linda. "Hermione, I want to cast a spell on you. It will at least tell us how many people are in your coven. Let me show you." Pointing her wand at herself she said, "_Ostendo Sum Iunctio_."

Four bright yellow strands appeared leading from her chest and moving outward. Three pointed directly at Joshua, Ethan and Pauline. The strand pointing at her sister had a line of purple twining through it. The fourth stretched diagonally upward stopping after about five feet.

"The strands orient towards where my bond mates are," the witch explained. "The one pointing to Pauline recognizes our family magic as an additional bond. If I cast the spell on her, she would have additional colors connected to Joshua because of their marriage bond and the girls. That last one is Eva's. Didn't she just go up there to make sure Emmie and the girls were all right? May I cast it on you, Hermione?" When the young woman nodded, Linda repeated the spell.

Hermione looked down at the six ghostly yellow strands that appeared to be connected to the middle of her chest. Immediately they oriented themselves due East. Her strands weren't bright like Linda's had been; they looked almost _frayed _though one had a thin strand of magenta running through it. _Six,_ she thought as memories of Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Draco flashed through her mind.

Her face must have showed her comprehension because Ethan stated, "You know who they are."

She nodded again as Linda ended the spell. "It has to be my friends, Uncle Ethan," she replied. "The ones that I fought Voldemort and hunted Deatheaters with."

"The famous 'Seven Saviors'," he mused but she just wrinkled her nose, embarrassed at the name. "You must have unknowingly bonded your magic at some point. When was the last time you worked magic together."

"I don't know," Hermione explained. "We always switched who went out together on the hunting missions and we had all kinds of different groupings for when we needed to _spellsing_."

"I think he means when was the last time _all _seven of you performed spell work _together._" Aunt Eva specified. She had come back into the room right before Linda had ended the spell.

Hermione thought about it and admitted, "It was during the Battle of Hogwarts when we killed Voldemort."

"Will you tell us about it, Hermione? We've all read the reports in the papers and heard stories, but they basically just said that you teens led by Harry Potter killed Voldemort. None of you ever gave a public statement of the exact event. We never pressed you for details because you were always so sad if we asked you about your friends." He looked at her expectantly.

Hermione told them of her experiences from how they had trained together and prepared for the battle to what had occurred during it. The adults were completely engrossed in the tale. When she told them about the training sessions and the uniforms, the adults shot looks at each other. Joshua Moore muttered to his coven about them clearly showing their intent and tying their fates together. When she got to the part where the seven were reunited during the battle, the words "concerned for the others' well being" came up. Harry's decision to hunt for Voldemort and the fact that the others just went along unhesitatingly made Linda remarked thoughtfully, "That's the loyalty component."

The English witch told how they fought together through dozens of Deatheaters to get Harry to Voldemort, Eva murmured, "Tying your fate together even tighter." When she told how Voldemort had _crucio'd_ Harry but Draco, Ron, and she had stepped in to stop him and then how the others had saved them from Voldemort's _fire spell_, Pauline had said something about "well being" and Linda had added, "or loyalty again."

Aunt Eva softly said, "Those children each risked his or her life for the others multiple times. If that isn't the ultimate show of all the required commitments, then I don't know what is."

By the time Hermione told them about the last _spellsong_ they had used to increase the power of Harry's _expelliarmus, _she didn't need Uncle Ethan's sure statement about "sharing power and kindling the bond" to tell her that she and her six friends had indeed completed a ritual for coven binding. They had unknowingly been building up to it since they began training together.

The five bond mates then questioned her about what had happened after the battle. As she told them about the events that had occurred over the next few days, Hermione could see for herself how all the things that the seven had done correlated exactly with everything she had learned about newly formed covens. From how they had slept in a communal bed on the first night to how they had spent every evening and any other available moment clustered in the library; it all made perfect sense.

Hermione assumed Harry was their coven's unrecognized leader. He had cast the leading spell and he was the reason that they had drawn together in the first place. He had accepted all of their differences and acted as peacemaker during squabbles. Harry was the first to talk about "getting a bad feeling" about them being separated when Lupin had suggested putting them on different hunting teams. He had taken action to insure that they remained together in at least small groups.

She recalled how each hadn't been allowed to go off by himself or herself the entire month before she had left. It had supposedly been for safety reasons, but since when had any of them ever stopped doing things just because the adults had told them it wasn't the safe way? Now looking back, it seemed out of character that none of them had protested or snuck away to do whatever they needed to do.

The one time the proximity rule was broken had been the time Lucius had taken Draco alone to St. Mungo's. Hermione remembered now how ill and upset Draco had been when he had returned to Grimmauld Place that night. They had all thought it was because of his mother's condition, but now she understood it was a reaction to being separated from the coven too soon. He had only been away from them for a little under three hours, but for a newly bonded wizard that was an agonizingly long time. He'd been in pretty bad shape. Luna had unintentionally provided him with the best cure: physical contact with other coven members. Putting him between Neville and Ron on the couch and then lounging on top of the three had probably saved the blond's sanity. Hermione shuddered when she realized how lucky they were that Lucius hadn't forced Draco to accompany him back to the Manor.

One thing was bothering her, though. _What about me?_ According to all of the information that she had gathered, she should not have been able to stay away from her coven for so long.

"I don't understand," she began looking at the witches and wizards around her, "if we are a coven, how am _I_ able to be away from them? "

"Hermione," her Aunt said, "If you think over the time you've been here, you'll see the answer. Remember how ill you were during your pregnancy and how long it took you to recover afterwards? You're still not even at full strength now. Remember all those time you were sick and when you were depressed? We had thought your frequent illnesses and mood swings were all childbirth related. You'd also taken on so much as a new mother and still insisted on working on your book and taking classes. You've been feeling fatigued almost constantly."

"But Aunt Eva, I haven't seen them for a year. From what I've read and everything you've told me, I should be dead or crazy by now. A coven member can't last this long without her bond mates."

"That isn't entirely true, sweetheart," Uncle Ethan explained to her gently. "There are a couple of very specific cases where a wizard may be away from his coven for an extended time. Do you know all the dreams you've been having about your friends? You've been connecting with them and gaining some strength in that way. It isn't as good as physical contact, but it probably was helping you stave off the consequences for a longer time. I'm not really sure though. I only know about a handful cases where that has happened."

Hermione nodded. Her dreams about England had been coming more frequently and turning increasingly more vivid. They had always involved one of more members of the six friends that she had left behind. She almost blushed when she recalled some of her more erotic dreams about Draco. _Better not go there._

"Do you remember when I told you that the less magical power you have, the more often you have to 'recharge' with your coven?" Hermione's uncle asked her. At her affirmative, he said, "I don't think I've ever told you this, but you are the strongest witch that I have _ever_ known personally."

He stopped her automatic protests by saying, "I know you're not comfortable with me saying it, but it's true. It's not just your intelligence, which is formidable in itself, but you have been able to manipulate power and magic like no one we've seen in decades. Take how you invented _spellsinging._ There are wizards years older than you with more training and experience who can never hope to do something like that."

At her wordless head shake, he sighed and continued. "Whatever you believe, you _are_ that strong. You can probably last away from your coven for longer than almost anyone, but there will be a cost. You've already seen the physical and emotional consequences this year. Have you considered the magical price?"

"I don't understand," she told him. Hermione hadn't read anything about a magical cost.

"It's not talked about often, because usually by the time it reaches that point the wizard is beyond caring. Part of the benefit of being in a coven is that one's power is significantly enhanced by the shared magic. The flip side is that without contact with the rest of the coven, a wizard's power significantly diminishes until eventually it's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" she asked with dread.

"Exactly that. If you haven't died from the physical ailments or become insane, the bond will eat at your magic power until you can no longer cast even the simplest spells."

"I haven't noticed anything different with my magic," the eighteen year old said thinking back over her time in the States.

"You are so powerful Hermione, that you may not have noticed. Have you done anything that would actually tax your skills since you've been here?" Uncle Ethan asked her meaningfully.

Thinking it over, Hermione stood up and walked out of the house. The others followed her wanting to see what she would do. She walked to the middle of the back yard knowing that it had been specially warded tonight for the earlier ceremony. She thought of the most complicated _spellsong_ that she had used in the war. She also thought of how to make it harder. Then she was ready to begin.

She started by _singing_ a multi-layered defensive shield around herself. She began to weave around the yard so she was forced to constantly modify the shields to move with her. She added in charms against specific curses and hexes. Once she had them the way she wanted, she began to cast offensive curses aiming towards the ground so they would dissipate harmlessly. She didn't really want to hurt anyone; she was just testing her power. She fine tuned the shields and began dropping them and then quickly snapping them back in place, so she could go all out offensively in between. She used increasingly complex curses as she spun and moved across the yard.

The adults watching her were awestruck at the display of power and the amount of energy that she was manipulating. They had never seen anything like it before. Then again, they had never seen Hermione fighting for the lives of her baby and her friends. They watched her do this for about twenty minutes when she suddenly stopped. The lights, curses and hexes all just stopped in an instant. With a wave of her wand, she repaired the singed grass and holes in the yard. Then the witch walked toward them deep in thought. She was breathing heavily and sweating, but otherwise seemed unharmed.

"That was amazing, Hermione," Joshua Moore enthused. "Maybe your power isn't being affected by not being with your coven."

She just shook her head, "Oh, it definitely is. I could feel my shields wobbling at the end and my last curse didn't take. I made things a little more complex than usual, but I should have been able to keep going for twice as long and it shouldn't have made me this tired."

They just looked at her in shock at that response. They hadn't realized what she was truly capable of.

Hermione walked past them into the house and up to Emmie's room. She picked up her sleeping baby and sat in the rocking chair, cuddling the little girl to her chest. She'd talk to Uncle Ethan and Aunt Eva tomorrow about her options. It looked like she would have to go back to England after all.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron wasn't talking to any of them. _The stubborn bastard, _Draco thought. It'd been three weeks since Draco's confession. When he'd followed Ron from the room, he been just in time to see the redhead slam the front door behind him. Going after him, he hadn't been able to catch his friend before he _apparated_ away. All of their efforts to talk to him since that evening had been met with a stony silence and a glare. It wasn't as though he could avoid them, though. _For Merlin's sake, he lives with Harry and works with the both us everyday. _Harry had seemed unworried when he'd said that Ron had done something similar in fourth year. He'd get over it eventually; not to worry about it. Problem was, Draco did. He didn't know why the stupid git's friendship mattered so much to him. _Daft pig-headed bastard,_ he thought again glancing at the man a few feet away.

Draco looked back to the house in front of him through narrowed eyes. He and Ron were with two other aurors trying to catch a couple of wizards who were rumored to have been using _imperius_ on the local muggle populace. There had been a recent rise in crimes where muggles and muggleborns were being targeted. They weren't sure if this was connected with the other incidents or not. His team leader, Smythe, signaled Ron and the other auror to go around back and for Draco to come with him.

The two men strolled up the walkway to the front door looking around to see that the few muggles in sight were paying no attention to them. On the porch, Smythe cast a spell at the door, his movements blocked by Draco's body. "No house wards...idiots," he mumbled. Clearly they weren't dealing with criminal masterminds. A quiet _alohomora _unlocked the door allowing the two to step through.

Smythe pointed up the stairs towards the second floor and Draco nodded. He crept up the steps as the older man proceeded deeper into the first level. Draco passed a couple of open doorways which he peeked through to find unoccupied rooms. He heard a feminine voice cry out and rushed towards a closed door at the end of the hallway. Bursting into the room he saw two occupants on the bed.

"Harder baby. Scream for me," ordered the naked wizard pointing his wand at the well endowed brunette bouncing on top of him. Obligingly she screamed again and started moving faster, the vacant look in her eyes attesting to the fact she wasn't acting under her own free will.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Draco muttered to himself. _This is what the wizards had been using the imperius for? _ He yelled to the groaning wizard, "Stop what you're doing and don't even think of pointing your wand at me." _Either one,_ he snickered in his head.

The wizard on the bed and froze in shock as his eyes went to the blond in the doorway. The woman on top of him continued to do as she had been commanded. "Stop the curse," Draco told the man in disgust.

The man did, and the woman immediately started screaming for real when she realized she was naked on top of a stranger. When Draco looked at her, the wizard used the distraction to turn his wand towards the auror. Draco had better reflexes. He disarmed him with a quickly shouted _expelliarmus_ and tied him up with a second spell. The muggle woman promptly fainted at the sight of the magic. _At least she's stopped screaming and it'll make it easier to obliviate her,_ Draco thought as he walked to the bed.

He was throwing a sheet over her naked form, when a flare of magic behind him caused him to spin around. Centimeters from his face a red spell clashed and dissipated on the shield that had formed in front of him. He automatically shot a spell at the second naked wizard who had been coming out of the bathroom that he hadn't noticed upon entering the room. Another spell hit the man simultaneously. The combined force of them had him on the ground twitching.

Standing in the doorway from the hallway was Ron. He was the obvious source of the shield that had protected Draco's back. "Always secure the room before seeing to the victim. We learned that the first week, ferret," the youngest Weasley brother said.

"I know, Weasel. The bouncing naked bird kind of distracted me a bit. I owe you for the shield," Draco told him, hoping this was the end of the silent treatment.

"Well, now you owe me for a lot of things," Ron answered. "I wasn't going to let a friend of mine get taken down by some naked lowlife bastard like him."

Draco's mouth twitched. "So we're good now?"

"Yeah, we're good."

Now Draco's mouth blossomed into a full smile. "You'd better make up with the others. They're pretty annoyed about the silent treatment they've been getting."

"It's okay. Harry, Ginny and Neville are used to it," Ron waggled his eyebrows at Draco, "and I've been talking to Luna the whole time. You didn't think I'd go without for three whole weeks, did you?"

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was August already and so much had happened since the revelations of the night of the the failed bonding ceremony. Hermione thought about the conversation she'd had with her aunt and uncle that next morning and the decision she'd made.

"_Tell me what the rest of my coven is feeling right now. Are they sick too?Are they losing their magic?" she asked them as she fed Emmie some baby cereal._

"_If they're staying together and keeping their bond strong, then they're probably all right," Ethan explained. "When a coven member is gone, there's a feeling of incompleteness that never quite goes away. If a coven member dies, the rest pull together to become even closer. If only one member is left alive, he usually doesn't last long." Eva came and put her hand on her husband's shoulder. "We had a sixth coven member once. Linda's finance, Rick. He was killed in an accident before your cousins were born. We had each other to share the pain." He had a sad, faraway look in his eyes._

"_They probably feel the loss of your presence, Hermione," Aunt Eva said, "but would they even recognize it for what it was? If they've never understood the joy of a complete coven, then they wouldn't know what they are missing. Any uneasiness or worries could be explained away with other causes. You are the one with no one to connect with. You'll experience the brunt of the separation."_

_Hermione nodded having suspected as much. "What about Donovan and me?"_

"_You and Donovan can have a relationship, but a marriage bond would never work."_

"_You mean coven members never marry outside their covens?" Hermione asked disbelievingly, "but Dra...one of the men in my coven is married already and another has a serious girlfriend."_

"_No, dear, that's not what I meant. Coven members can have a marriage bond with a person not in another coven or they can have a ceremony without the wizarding bonds. A marriage binding conflicts with a coven bond if it is to someone bound to a different coven. You and Donovan can't bind to each other because of your different loyalties. The conflicting magic would rip you apart. You felt it when his coven tried to superimpose its bond over yours. "_

_Hermione felt sorrow go through her when she realized that she and Donovan weren't meant to be together. Maybe I'm just not meant to be with anyone, she thought. _

_"__How long do I have before I have to go back?" the Hermione asked._

_"__I really don't know. You've been away longer than anyone I've ever heard of as it is," Ethan said. "You should go back as soon as possible."_

"_Hermione," Eva said delicately. "Emmie's father is in your coven. I saw the connection when Linda revealed the bond. Shouldn't you try to work it out with him? You will be bound to him for the rest of your life."_

_Hermione had blushed and answered, "He's the one who's married. I left because he'd chosen another. Plus he comes from a traditional pureblood family and my blood wasn't good enough." She looked apologetically at Aunt Eva, knowing her antecedents. The older witch just looked at her sympathetically because she knew others of her kind were not as liberal as her family was._

"_I'm have to go back, but I need to take care of some things here first. I'm going to finish the semester and I need to make things right with Donovan. He deserves better than for me to just leave right now."_

The Langstroms had supported her decision. Hermione had finished the school year and her book with out too many problems. She'd have no difficulty transferring her credits to any English wizarding university. In fact once her book was made public in September, Professor Kendall had said schools would be coming to her once they found out she was looking for an academic home.

However, leaving Donovan had been unbelievably difficult. He had understood better than her the obstacle their conflicting bonds created. He had grown up among covens and knew how they worked. However, it didn't stop him from wanting to be with her and Emmie. He'd asked her to have a muggle marriage ceremony with him, saying she could apparate back to England each week to reestablish her coven bond. He had irrationally insisted that they could make it work somehow. He wouldn't accept that they would leave him. She had cried when she had to turn him down.

Hermione had ended up staying in Massachusetts through the summer trying to figure out how to not leave him on such a sour note. He had been her strongest supporter since she had come to the States and her lover since February. She couldn't part with him like this. He loved her so much and she didn't have it in her to destroy him this way. It would have been too close to how Draco had hurt her.

Hermione's health had begun to take a serious downward spiral and her magic had become weaker as the days had progressed. It was as though the failed bonding ceremony and reawakened her own bond's call. It's demands upon her body had increased exponentially, draining her vitality and wizarding powers faster than ever before. Physically she was deteriorating and magically she was having a difficult time with complex spells and spellsinging. Her family urged her to find her coven quickly, since only their presence would cure her ills.

Donovan had finally taken a good look at Hermione one day, after Melissa had yelled at him to see what his stubbornness was doing to her. He had been shocked at how frail she had become. He had taken her into his arms and told her with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry I've been so selfish, dear heart. Go back to them...with my blessings. It's killing you to stay here with me." He had kissed her one last time: a long deep bittersweet goodbye. "I will always love you, Hermione Granger." He had left her then and did not come to see her again before she left.

So here she was back on English soil for the first time in almost a year and a half. Minerva had offered her guest quarters in the newly repaired Hogwarts until she and Emmie found a place of their own. School wouldn't be starting for a week, so her presence wouldn't be known until she made it public knowledge. Keeping her eyes on the castle, Hermione walked slowly through the gates holding her daughter's hand feeling like she was coming home at last.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

Ostendo Sum Iunctio – Reveal Connections


	32. To See Your Face Again

**Chapter 32 To See Your Face Again**

_Last Chapter: So here she was back on English soil for the first time in almost a year and a half. Minerva had offered her guest quarters in the newly repaired Hogwarts until she and Emmie found a place of their own. School wouldn't be starting for a week, so her presence wouldn't be known until she made it public knowledge. Keeping her eyes on the castle, Hermione walked slowly through the gates holding her daughter's hand feeling like she was coming home at last._

Minerva welcomed Hermione with a long embrace, but was quite taken aback at how thin and wan her ex-student looked. Hermione had written to explain about the coven bond, but her mentor did not realize how serious the drain on the witch really was. To her expressions of concern, Hermione responded that her health and magical power would come back once she re-established her connection with her friends.

The headmistress was completely captivated by the gray eyed little girl with the curly blond hair. The baby trustingly held onto the woman's hand to practice her newly acquired walking skills. Each wobbly step entrenched her more deeply into the elderly witch's heart. Minerva was almost undone when Hermione asked her to be an honorary grandmother to her daughter. Emmie had patted the witch's cheek consolingly and said, "Cwy?" The woman just hugged the child and sniffed.

Minerva brought them to her own private quarters where she showed them a room with a bed for Hermione and a crib for Emmie. She then asked a school elf to bring them afternoon tea, during which the two women caught up on recent events while Emmie happily munched on mini-sandwiches and biscuits.

Minerva informed Hermione that there was going to be a formal gathering the following evening in the Great Hall to celebrate the re-opening of the Castle. Staff, Ministry officials, alumni, and contributors to the renovation fund were to be there. She said that all of the students in Hermione's year had been specifically invited for a special awards ceremony.

"Yes, Hermione, all of your friends have already agreed to come," Minerva told her. "I can ask them to come early if you'd like to meet with them in private first."

Hermione shook her head. "It may be better if I see them first without them seeing me. I can judge how my body will react to their presence. If it works out, I'll show myself to everyone. If it doesn't seem to be going well, I'll nip back here and just owl them the next day. "

Eventually, Emmie fell asleep and Hermione carried her to the guest room for a nap. Minerva excused herself as she needed to make further arrangements for the following evening. Hermione decided to explore the castle, so the older woman summoned a school elf to stay with Emmie. Hermoine's S.P.E.W. days were long over, as she had realized the futility of trying to help the elves who were quite happy with their lot. Consequently she didn't protest McGonagall's actions, though she thanked the small elf profusely still believing that everyone deserves kindness and consideration.

"Go anywhere you wish. With the exception for the staff's private quarters, no passwords are required yet. They'll be set once school starts," the older witch had bid her with a fond smile. "I'll see you at dinner. If you don't mind, I prefer to dine with the other professors in the Great Hall. It's so good to have you back, my dear."

~*~*~*~*~

Hermione looked at the shining white memorial that commemorated those who had died during the Battle of Hogwarts. She looked at all the names on the stone. When she came to one that she knew personally, she gently touched the engraved letters. _Charlie, Fred, Regis, Susan, Terry, Lavender...so many people._ She bowed her head and said a prayer for those lost. _Thank you. I hope you're all at peace now.  
_

She seemed to feel a presence behind her, and turned to see Severus Snape standing a few meters away watching her. Hermione smiled to herself thinking he had changed much from when she'd last seen him. Physically he was exactly the same man who had been her teacher since she was eleven, but his face had lost that cold secretive look and he wasn't wound as tight as a spring. He looked freer, younger, more at peace with himself.

"Hello Professor Snape," she greeted him respectfully.

"I didn't know you were back, Miss Granger," he said to her, noting the changes in her also. The ex-Deatheater was alarmed at her appearance. She looked like she was skin and bones.

"I just arrived earlier today," she said. "Minerva offered me a place to stay until I found a place of my own."

"Well if you can call the Headmistress by her first name, then I suppose it wouldn't be inappropriate for you to call me Severus," he told her to her amazement. "What have you been doing with yourself all these months?"

"I've been going to University, Severus," she said testing out his name, "and writing a book."

"What are you studying and writing about?" he asked her with an interested look in his eyes.

"My book is about _spellsinging, _which makes sense since I'm majoring in Magical Theory," she told him watching in amusement as his dark eyes lost some of their enthusiasm.

"Indeed. How interesting, Hermione," Severus said, "though I must confess that I had hoped you'd choose otherwise."

"Oh, did I forget to mention that Magical Theory is my second major? I'm really a Potions Major, but the Deans said that my book would count as enough to merit a second designation on my diploma," she almost laughed aloud as her old potions teacher perked right up.

"I believe you are having fun at my expense, Hermione," the Head of Slytherin said with a gleam in his eyes. "You knew all along that I expected you to study potions. You were the most gifted student to pass through my classroom."

"I really learned so much from you, Severus," Hermione said turning serious, "and I never did thank you for helping me last year."

"I'm just relieved that you came through the encounter alive," Severus responded a bit uncomfortably knowing exactly what she was speaking of. He quickly changed the subject by saying, "Now what was all this about you needing strengthening potions? Minerva asked me for three different recipes for you. Frankly, you look like you still need them."

"It's a long story, but I do thank you for them," Hermione told the wizard.

"I have time to listen if you would share your burden," Snape offered.

Hermione looked into the Snape's eyes and saw that he was completely sincere. Since that fateful New Year's night, he had watched over her without her knowledge. He had come to care about her. She was the epitome of courage, strength, loyalty and compassion. She was the kind of daughter that he wished he could have created with Lilly.

Hermione saw the wistfulness in his expression and wondered at it. She believed there was more to him than most people knew and trusted him implicitly, so she told him about how the she and her friends had unintentionally created a coven bond. They talked about it by the war memorial for a long time. Though he provided few insights that she hadn't already thought about, she appreciated his honest desire to help.

Later, the two walked back to the castle in complete charity with one another, discussing the fine art of potion making. At the entrance to the castle, Snape turned to the young woman. "I'll send some strengthening potions to Minerva's quarters that may help you," he told her. "It's good to have you back, Hermione."

"It's good to be home," she answered surprising him with an impulsive hug. "Please just bring the potions to dinner tonight, Severus. There's one thing I didn't tell you and there's someone I want you to meet."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next night, Hermione kissed a sleeping Emmie and thanked the school elf, Lally, that was going to watch her. The witch had spent the last couple of hours in McGonagall's quarters since the invited guests were touring the castle. At this point all would be in the Great Hall mingling. She took one of Severus' strengthening potions, smiling to herself as she remembered his shocked reaction to Emmie.

The little girl had formed an immediate attachment to the professor at dinner. The other adults had to hide their smiles as they watched the little girl wrap the usually taciturn man around her little finger. She had insisted on sitting on his lap throughout the meal and though he acted annoyed, everyone could see the gentleness with which he treated the little girl. Snape had made no effort to remove the sunny child, and even carried her back to the Headmistress' quarters after she fell asleep on him.

Tonight Hermione planned on joining the festivities using a glamour to hide her real identity. Looking into the mirror at the nondescript woman in her thirties with black hair and blue eyes that stared back at her, she was satisfied that none would know her. Minerva knew of her plan and had decided that she should be aware of what the "special" ceremony entailed. They had decided that if Hermione wanted to be part of the presentations, she would let McGonagall know by simply reappearing as herself.

Hermione took a deep breath and stepped into the Great Hall. The tension and pain that she had been living with for the past year and a half seemed to lessen almost immediately. She hadn't even realized how much unhappiness had been inside of her until it just disappeared. _I can feel them,_ she thought in amazement. _How could I ever have lived without them, without this? _She stood still for a moment basking in the feeling of contentment that flowed through her.

The House tables had been removed and smaller tables dotted the room. People were standing in groups with glasses in hand or seated at the tables happily chattering. Most of the Weasley clan was seated at a table near the front of the room. Harry, Neville, Ginny and Dahlia were standing in a cluster nearby having drinks and relaxing. Ron was by the food, of course, chatting amiably with Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas about quidditch.

The instant that Hermione stepped into the Great Hall, the rest of her coven came to attention feeling that something in the room had changed. Harry looked at Ginny and Neville, who were looking at him with wide eyes. Luna, who was talking with some fellow Ravenclaws, stopped mid-word to searched the room with her eyes. Ron actually choked on the mouthful of food he was chewing and had to be pounded on the back by Dean.

At his table, Draco's head suddenly snapped up in surprise. He was seated with Daphne, Millicent Bullestrode, and his parents. Vin Crabbe and Greg Goyle were also there contentedly shoveling in food, having survived their time in France. Draco would much rather have been sitting with his other friends, but he had good reason to stay where he was. He couldn't figure out what he had just felt, but all of a sudden he was fully on alert.

Each of them started looking around trying to figure out what it was that had caught their attention, but were unable to do so. None of the other guests seemed to have noticed anything different. Their conversations still flowed and they continued to drink and eat. However, for the seven it was as if time stood still for that one instant. The coven, except for Hermione, found their gazes seeking each other out and in the strange way that they sometimes were able to communicate without words, they read the same question in the eyes of the others.

Harry's attention landed on an older dark haired witch standing by the door and he briefly wondered why he had the urge to go to her. He didn't recognize her from anywhere. She was looking around the room with wide, awe filled blue eyes. Her gaze met his for an instant and he was jolted by an unidentifiable feeling of ...something...that coursed through him. He lost his balance for a second, and Neville caught his arm looking at him in concern. When he looked back at where the strange witch had been, she was nowhere to be seen.

"What is it, Harry?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know," he replied a little disoriented. "There was a-"

He was interrupted by McGonagall's voice calling for their attention. He just shook his head to clear it and moved to sit at a table with Ron, Neville and their three counterparts to hear the Headmistress' next words. He scanned room but couldn't see the strange witch anywhere. There were just too many people. The others looked at him worriedly.

Hermione had moved away after catching Harry's eye. She had felt the same startled impact of their bond snapping into place, but because she understood what had caused it she was completely accepting of the feeling. She knew that things would be all right because the magical connection was telling her _this_ was where she needed to be. Already she felt some of her sickness fade away. After experiencing what it felt like to be near _her coven_ and the bond's reconnection to Harry, she couldn't wait another day. She decided to unmask herself tonight.

Walking towards the side of the room, Hermione dropped the glamour when no one was looking and sat at a table with some minor Ministry officials and their wives. They obviously didn't recognize her and just smiled dismissively at her before going back to their own conversations. She didn't mind. Hernmione took this as an opportunity to study her friends and the changes that she could see. _I missed them so much. _

Harry and Ginny were sporting matching bands on their left hands, and both of the other women at their table had engagement rings. None of this surprised her, as Minerva had written about the events over the summer. She saw all of the Malfoys sitting together and felt her heart felt tight in her chest even after all the time that had passed. Draco's hair was shorter than she remembered, but otherwise he still looked as handsome has he always had to her. _It's always been him, _she admitted_, even Donovan couldn't make me forget him._

"Ladies and gentlemen," the Headmistress was saying. "I have a special news that I would like to share with all of you. The Board of Trustees and I have had several long conversations and looked into various records over the course of this past year. Many fine young wizards and witches were not allowed to finish their seventh year as Hogwarts students because of the battle waged on these very grounds. Most of them bravely risked their lives to fight on the side of the Light. Others stayed away choosing to defy their families and not work for the Dark side that was chosen for them."

Draco elbowed Greg and whispered somewhat humorously, "She means you and Vin." They smiled proudly, while Lucius made a snide comment about "imbeciles ruining the Chateau's formal gardens." Narcissa gently hushed him.

"All of those whom were invited tonight were in good academic standing at the time of the battle and have gone on to pass their NEWTs . We have chosen to award them the Hogwarts Diplomas that they should have received if their schooling had not been interrupted." McGonagall looked around the room as the guests broke out in applause. She saw the particular face that she had been looking for and smiled softly.

"As I call your name by House, please stand and remain up until all your fellow house mates have been announced. Then I will present you with your diplomas," the Headmistress said. She proceeded to announce names of the students from Hufflepuff. Once they had all been called, she waved her wand and rolled scrolls appeared in each of their hands. The guests applauded and the smiling group sat back down. McGonagall repeated the process for the Ravenclaws next and then the Slytherins.

"Will the following Slytherins please rise? Millicent Bullestrode, Vincent Crabbe, Tracy Davis, Gregory Goyle, Daphne Greengrass Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, and the year's Head Boy, Draco Malfoy."

Harry, Ron and Neville raised their drinks in salute to Draco, as the women clapped loudly. He raised both eyebrows and smiled at all of them. He took his seat after his diploma appeared in his hand, inordinately pleased with this turn of events. He looked towards his Gryffindor friends ready to toast them in return when they stood.

"I would ask that the following Gryffindors please stand: Seamus Finnegan, Neville Longbottom, Parvati Patil, Harry Potter, Dean Thomas, Ronald Weasley," the Headmistress McGonagall paused and the applause started even as she was adding, "and the year's Head Girl, Hermione Granger.

The clapping petered out as people registered the last name announced. Everyone in the room knew that Hermione Granger had disappeared from the public eye shortly following the Battle of Hogwarts. She had not been present for_ any_ of the celebrations or awards the previous summer. All around the room, heads craned to see if the missing member of the Seven Saviors, the only female of the original Golden Trio, was really present. The other six coven members looked around sharply wanting to see if their friend was truly there. Draco stood up looking for the woman that he had never stopped loving. _Is she really here?_ he thought his heart leaping into his throat.

Towards one side of the Great Hall, a slender figure slowly rose to her feet to the shock of her table mates, who inwardly began to berate themselves for not realizing her identity sooner. Whispers began as people noticed where she was. She looked back at the crowd of people seeing a myriad of faces, without registering most of them. There were a few startled exclamations as people caught sight of her. However, Hermione only cared about what six specific people were thinking. Her eyes were drawn to them, trying to see what they thought of her return. To her relief, they were all looking at her with expressions of wonder and joy.

As the applause started again and rose to a deafening roar, her diploma materialized in her hands. She allowed her eyes to meet each member of her coven. Harry's vivid green eyes didn't elicit a magical reaction since their bond had been reestablished earlier. However, she felt five sharp magical shocks to her system when her brown eyes successively met with Ron, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and at long last Draco. From the widening of their eyes, she knew they each felt something also. However, the five magical flares so close together were almost too much for her weakened magical abilities and she swayed on her feet, her face paling.

A strong hand gripped her elbow supporting her and Snape's voice said into her ear, "Are you all right, Hermione? I think you need to take a moment." She gratefully allowed him to lead her to the staff lounge off of the Great Hall nearby. He gently pushed her through the doorway saying, "A mob seems to be heading this way. Should I let any of them through?"

"Just Harry and the others please," she said appreciating his excellent timing and assistance. "Thank you, Severus."

Hermione shakily moved further into the room. She could hear raised voices outside of the door and Severus' cold tones denying everyone entrance to the room. She was standing gazing at the fireplace at the opposite end of the chamber when she heard the voices become louder then muted again as the door quickly opened and shut. Footsteps approached her.

"Hermione," she heard a voice say softly. She turned to find Harry standing about a meter in front of her. She looked into the face that she had known since she was eleven and immediately saw that he had forgiven her for leaving. He closed the distance between them and enfolded her in a a tight hug. "You're home, Mione. I've missed you so much." She sighed his name and buried her face in his chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

Harry savored having her this close to him after all this time. It just felt right. His mind registered that she was much thinner than she had been when she had left. He was disturbed to find that he could feel the bones of her spine and her ribs. She had always been petite, but right now she felt _breakable. _ He had been really worried when he saw her almost pass out in the Great Hall. He levered her upper body back without letting go, so that he could look at her. "Are you all right? You're so thin."

"I've been sick," she told him. At his horrified expression she continued. "I'm going to be okay. I just need time for the cure to take effect. I'll tell you about it when everyone is here."

"They'll be coming in a few minutes. They were only willing to give me a five minute head start," he said. He got right to the heart of the matter. "We know why you left us. Draco told us everything last spring when we got your letter. It was hard, but we tried to honor your wishes. Did you join your cousins' coven? Did you get married?"

Hermione's eyes flew back to his. Shaking her head she said, "No to both questions. I'm here to stay...for good."

"You had a glamour on before. That was you I saw, wasn't it?" Harry asked perceptively. "What was that I felt? The others felt something also when you looked at them."

"I have so much to tell you, to explain, but it's best to tell everyone together."

Harry pulled her close again in response to her answer. She heard the door open again for a longer time and knew that the rest of her coven had arrived. She felt a different hand on her back and turned as Harry released her into Ron's embrace. He held her just as tightly as her other best friend had and gave her a kiss on the top of her head. She smelled the clean, woodsy smell that she had always associated with this particular redhead. She rested her cheek against his chest and he stroked her hair.

"I'm so glad you're here, Mione," Ron told her gruffly trying to hide the deep emotions running through him. "Don't leave us like that again."

"I won't Ron," the woman in his arms replied feeling tears forming. "I'm home again and I'm not going away again."

Ron was so happy to hear those words that he picked her up and spun her around. She was smiling through her tears when he set her down. _This is exactly what I needed._ Neville stepped forward and took his turn at taking her in his arms. He hugged her gently and said, "Welcome back, Mione. Things weren't right without you. I'm really glad you're back."

Hermione looked up at him and squeezed him again. "Thanks Nev. Where's Dahlia? I hear you two have good news."

His eyes beamed with happiness as he answered, "She's out there helping Snape keep everyone out. She said we needed time alone to welcome you. She's so great." Hermione smiled that he was so clearly in love. What she remembered of Dahlia, she approved of.

Ginny and Luna decided that it was their turn to grab her into a three-way embrace and nudged a reluctant Neville out of the way. Hermione looked at him apologetically as the two girls took his place. They held onto each other tightly, not saying anything at first.

"I'm sorry, girls," Hermione finally whispered for their ears only.

"Shhh," Luna answered. "We understand. There's nothing to forgive."

Ginny hugged her closer, whispering, "I'm sorry I didn't see it. We're going to have a long girls' talk Hermione Granger." Hermione nodded thinking,_ Wait until they find about about Emmie_. When the three let go of each other, there were all crying a little bit.

The two younger women stepped back allowing the last member of the group a chance to greet their long lost friend. Draco was still standing near to the door, but he had not taken his eyes off of Hermione since he entered the room. His expression showed that he wasn't sure whether or not his presence would be welcomed by her. He had watched the others take her into their arms and didn't know if he was allowed to do that also. He knew it would devastate him if she spurned him, but that was her right. He wasn't in any position to demand anything of her.

Hermione looked at the blond man in front of her whose child she had borne. She felt her heart beat faster, as their eyes met. His were pleading; hers were wary. She knew she couldn't shut him out; she was bound to him as tightly as to the rest of them. The magic required her to keep in contact with him. The others in the room had fallen silent watching the two. They knew this was important. _If only they knew how important this really was for all of them,_ Hermione thought.

She looked at him letting him know with her eyes that she forgave him. She let her mouth quirk into a small smile and simply said, "Hullo Draco."

Draco looked at Hermione's face and saw all that she was telling him. He walked over to her and pulled her into an embrace as the others had. Closing his eyes, he breathed in her scent. Every fiber of his being was focused on this witch in his arms. She felt perfect. He took an unsteady breath and whispered to her the words that he had never given to her in their entire history.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione," he quietly told her.

"Shh," she replied, "I'm sorry too. It'll be all right." She felt the tears spilling from her eyes and let his nearness comfort her for a moment. It felt sublime being in his arms again. She didn't know how long they stood there, but it abruptly ended.

Hermione heard the door open and a new voice saying, "...of course I want to welcome darling Draco's comrade back also." She felt the man holding her stiffen and pull back from her. She turned to the doorway and looked in shock at Daphne Malfoy. A very pregnant Daphne Malfoy. She was smiling and waving to the crowd outside the door.

Once the door shut again, she turned to survey the people within the room. Her face lost it's pleasant look when she realized that there were no reporters or important people in the room. She paid no attention to the others, addressing Draco only.

"How dare you leave me out there. Do you know how that looks to the press?" she berated him. She went on in a nasty, sarcastic voice, " I don't really want to interrupt this _touching_ moment, but I'm leaving. Lucius took Narcissa home, so I'm going with Millicent to Pansy's place."

"Go back to the Manor, Daphne," Draco told her in a cold voice.

"Sod off, Draco," she retorted. "You want to hang out with these losers to welcome back a mudblood, fine, but don't expect me to twiddle my thumbs at the Manor with your parents."

"As long as you're carrying my son, you will do exactly as I say," he ordered her, miserably aware that everyone that he cared most about in the world was listening to this sordid conversation. "You know our agreement."

A calculating look appeared in Daphne's eyes. "Fine, but it'll cost you," she spat. Then she added vindictively, knowing he wanted to stay with his friends, "You take me back. If I can't have my friends tonight, you can't either." She continued to ignore the other six people in the room and headed out the door. "He needs another minute and then he's taking me home. I need to rest because of the bab-" they heard Daphne say in a sugary voice before the door shut again.

Silence filled the room. Draco was ashamed that his friends had witnessed that. It galled him particularly to have _Hermione_ know what a wasteland his marriage was. He knew he deserved it, _but damn it did everyone have to know about it?_ He looked at Hermione and she was looking at him with sympathy and another emotion that he couldn't decipher. Daphne's intrusion had reminded him that Hermione was even more out of his reach now.

"I have to go," he told her despondency in every line of his body. "Tomorrow?"

She nodded sadly and touched his cheek gently. He couldn't help himself; he pulled her in for one last embrace for the night. She murmured an "I'm so sorry" and he hurriedly left the room before he completely broke down. She turned to the others and found them looking at her with sympathy this time. Before she could say anything, a school elf that Hermione didn't recognize appeared in the room.

"Miss Hermione, Lally says to please come to Miss Minerva's room now. Missy Emmie needs you," the little elf said in such a rush that only Hermione understood exactly what she meant. She turned her brown eyes to her coven. Her heart was filled with so much that she needed to say to them, but her daughter needed her.

"I have an emergency. I have to go. I'll come to Grimmauld Place in the morning. I have so much to tell you, but it'll have to wait until tomorrow," Hermione told them.

Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville all nodded in disappointment, but Harry said, "No, Mione. Not this time."

"You don't want me to come to your house tomorrow?" Hermione asked confused.

Harry glanced at Ginny and his wife seemed to understand whatever he was telling her. She smiled at him and nodded quickly. "No. I won't let you go again. Every time you have an emergency, you handle it by yourself and we lose you." He continued in a determined voice, "I'm going with you this time and we'll go to Grimmauld Place together tomorrow. I'll help you tonight and I won't take no for an answer."

Hermione looked at how serious he was and knew she couldn't put him off. "All right, Harry. Come with me."


	33. Defining Relationships

**Chapter 33 Defining Relationships**

_Last Chapter: "No. I won't let you go again. Every time you have an emergency, you handle it by yourself and we lose you." He continued in a determined voice, "I'm going with you this time and we'll go to Grimmauld Place together tomorrow. I'll help you and I won't take no for an answer." Hermione looked at how serious he was and knew she couldn't put him off. "All right, Harry. Come with me."_

Hermione and Harry left their friends in the staff room to deal with the multitude of people in the Great Hall who wanted to speak to Hermione. The witch used the fireplace to floo directly to McGonagall's apartment. As she stepped out of the fireplace, she could already hear Emmie crying from their bedroom in a disconsolate way. Behind her, Harry stepped from the fireplace brushing soot from his robes. His hands froze when he became aware of the baby's cry. He turned to Hermione questioningly.

"I'll be right back," Hermione said offering him no explanation and avoiding his eyes. She quickly went into the bedroom where Emmie was being held by the ever patient Lally. The house elf was singing a little tune and gently rocking and jiggling the little girl in her arms as she paced the room. Emmie was not mollified by any of it. She was crying in a loud jagged wail.

Lally looked up as Hermione entered the room. "I is so sorry, Miss Hermione, but Missy Emmie won't stops the cryings. I tries giving hers the sippy cup. I tries changing the nappies. I tries singing the happy sheepses song. Lally will punish her bad self for not stoppings the Missy's cries." The elf was beside herself with the need to make up for the little girl's crying.

"No Lally, I forbid you to punish yourself. Let me see Emmie." Hermione took her daughter from the elf and cradled her against her shoulder rocking back and forth. "What's the matter, Sweet Pea? Mummy's here."

Emmie snuggled into her mother and her cries changed to whuffling, hiccupy sobs. "Mouuuuuuuf," the little girl sobbed. Her mother understood immediately, having gone through this a few times already. Thank goodness Emmie's language skills were progressing so nicely.

"Lally, I think she's cutting another tooth. Can you get me the little blue potion bottle on the vanity in the bathroom and a wash cloth?"

The elf hurried to fetch the two items. Hermione efficiently tied a knot in one corner of the cloth and soaked it with the liquid. She passed it to Emmie, who immediately chomped down on it remembering that it made her "mouf" feel better. A minute later the pain had subsided and the exhausted girl was drowsing contentedly against her mother. "Mum mum," she sighed tiredly.

"It's okay baby. Mummy has you. Go to sleep, Sweet Pea." Hermione swayed with her little one. She looked at the house elf and said a quiet but firm voice, "Thank you for your help tonight, Lally. No punishments for you. You did a wonderful job taking care of her! You couldn't have known she had a tooth coming in and you were so patient with all her crying. I'm sure she'll love to hear the sheep song from you tomorrow. You may go now." The elf gave a huge smile at the praise and disappeared with a pop.

Hermione carried her sleepy daughter into the sitting room, where Harry was seated on the couch. At her entrance, he jumped up and just stared at her and Emmie with wide eyes. Emmie was still mumbling, "Mum mum mum."

"Close your mouth Harry," she told her friend and sat down on the couch that he had just vacated with Emmie resting comfortably against her chest.

"But...but..." he spluttered, " that's a baby."

"Yes, Harry, she is a baby."

"Is she _your _baby?" he asked her red in the face.

"Yes. She's mine. This is Emmie," Hermione told him, snuggling the little girl closer to her.

"But how did you have a baby?" he burst out.

"You're married, Harry," Hermione gently teased him. "I think you'd know how."

"You know what I mean. When? How old is she, Hermione?"

"She'll be a year old on September 20th," she told him. She saw him make a fist at his side and unfold each finger as he tried to do the math. She didn't know whether to be amused or annoyed. "Sit down, Harry, you're making me nervous. If you must know, she was conceived in January of last year."

Harry sat down next to her abruptly and looked at the witch next to him as he thought of all that had happened that winter and spring. "Why didn't you tell me? You trained and fought while you were having a baby! I wouldn't have let you do it if I'd known, you know."

"I know, Harry. That's why I didn't tell you. I used a spell to protect her," she said looking into his eyes. His softened in response as he realized what it must have been like for her.

"Is she Draco's?" he asked her already suspecting the answer.

"What do you think?" she asked. She shifted the almost sleeping child, so that she was cradled facing Harry's direction. He looked at the little girl's face which was a miniature of Draco, her white-blond curls, and her slowly closing silvery-gray eyes.

"He doesn't know, does he? If he did, he would have told us that also. I think he still loves you. He was really torn up when you wrote to say you weren't coming back. He's not the same as he used to be."

Hermione shook her head in answer to his question and in denial of his statements."No Harry. I didn't tell him and he didn't love me enough. The time never seemed right to tell him and then I overheard him telling Ron that he was marrying Daphne. He has what he always wanted: a pureblood wife and a son on the way. Daphne may still the biggest bitch on the planet, but I saw his eyes when he spoke to her. He wants that child she's carrying. That's the heir he and his parents always planned for. Emmie is my daughter, and he can't have her."

"What do you mean, Hermione? You have to tell him. He's my friend now and _I _can't keep it from him," Harry said troubled, wondering if Hermione really had changed so much in the time she'd been away.

"In all honesty, Harry, I wasn't ever going to tell him if things had worked out for me in the US. I had someone willing to be a good father to her and we could have been happy. I would do anything for Emmie," she told him without apology. "But I was forced to come back. I would never ask you to choose between us. I swear I won't keep the knowledge from Draco, but it _will_ be his decision to let us be after I talk to him tomorrow."

"I don't think he will, but I'll support whatever you _both _decide," her friend told her. "Do you still love him? You'd be so much better for him than Daphne."

"That's none of your business Harry," she said with a closed look on her face, "and even if it was, it doesn't matter. Draco made his choice. I forgave him, but what's between us is past. I won't forget again what his priorities are." _I won't let him hurt either of us._

Harry wasn't happy with her response, but decided to let it drop for now. He changed the subject to ask the other questions that were on his mind. "What do you mean you were forced to come back? Why didn't you follow through with your plans? What was that I felt in the Great Hall tonight?"

"Let me put Emmie back in her crib and then I'll explain everything," Hermione told him before carrying her daughter to the bedroom. She took a moment to gather her scattered wits. Harry's comments about Draco had rattled her composure, but she had already decided how to treat him and was determined to follow through.

When she came back into the sitting room, she settled next to Harry on the couch. McGonagall came in at some point, but she only smiled at the two friends speaking so seriously. She didn't interrupt their conversation, just transfigured a table into a bed for Harry in the corner of the living room. Bidding them a good night, she disappeared into her own room. The two reunited friends talked long into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry was lying on his stomach with his left hand hanging off of the edge of the bed. A tugging on that hand woke him up. "Stop it, Gin," he groaned. Another tug and a small giggle was his only response. He opened his eyes and blearily stared at the small figure standing beside his bed. He remembered where he was as a small hand pulled on his wedding ring again. He gently disengaged his hand and sat up to put on his glasses.

Emmie Granger was looking at him with big beautiful gray eyes and a smiling mouth. She was clutching a piece of toast in one hand and the other was pointing at his ring. "Wing," she said before taking a bite of her mangled toast. She pointed at the necklace that she was wearing. "Wing," she repeated. He glanced at the silver necklace noting it had a griffin, a heart, and a dragon dangling from it.

"That's a necklace, Sweet Pea," Hermione said to her daughter from the doorway leading to the bedrooms. Looking at the still groggy man she continued, "Good morning Harry. If you'd like something to eat, you've got to get out of that bed since it's actually our breakfast table. Why don't you go get cleaned up and then we'll eat before going to see the others?"

A little while later the two best friends were stepping through the Floo of the living room in 12 Grimmauld place. Emmie had been left in the care of Lally for the time being. Hermione was going to Floo back for her after she had told the rest about the coven. Ginny met them in the living room and after hugging both brought them to the library where the others were waiting.

Hermione looked around remembering all the hours that they had spent in this particular room together. She had been so happy here. She settled onto the loveseat next to Harry and Ginny. Neville, Draco and Luna were on the opposite couch, while Ron took a place on the floor leaning back against the arm of the couch and Luna's legs.

"I have so much to explain to you. Let me tell you first about why I didn't join the coven in America," she started out. She described the requirements for making a coven and the events of the failed bonding ceremony and how the magic had rejected her.

"This was in March?" Neville asked thinking back. "Did you say your left hand and arm? I think I had a dream about that. I woke up and I could feel the burning pain." The others quickly told that they had experienced something very similar.

"I felt it too, but thought I was having a flashback to when Voldemort used to call me," Draco added in, putting his hand where his dark mark was located.

Hermione nodded. She wasn't surprised to hear any of this after living with the bond herself. She remembered her dreams.

"Why did the magic burn you, Hermione, and how come we felt it too?" Ginny asked her. She had seen the looks shooting between Harry and her. He hadn't remembered what he had felt until the others had mentioned it just now.

"Well, it seems that I already have a coven bond," she hesitated before continuing, "with all of you. Harry and I will show you." She cast _Ostendo Sum Iunctio _on herself and at her nod, Harry repeated the spell on everyone including himself.

Everyone was amazed by what they saw. From each of their chests six strands of light connected them to every other person in the room. The yellow strands of most connections were strong, but they noticed that the ones leading to Hermione were thinner, lighter, and less substantial than the others. Four of the other connections had different colored strands running through them. Hermione explained what the yellow strands meant and that hers were not as healthy since she had been away from them for so long. She told them that as she spent more time with them the bond would strengthen again.

After Harry had canceled the spells, she went on to tell about her subsequent talk with the elder Langstrom coven. Her friends did not seem to doubt her explanation as it made so many things that had happened to them clear. Hermione was relieved to see that the coven accepted the bond so easily. They had numerous questions and were really surprised, but no one was upset about the link.

She was uncomfortable talking about Donovan, but she told them about why she couldn't marry him. Ginny looked at her intently and she knew there would be many more private questions from the younger witch. Neville was worried about Dahlia, but she assured him that there should be no conflict since she wasn't part of a different coven. If they wanted, she was willing to add the other witch to their coven's bond. The others agreed to Neville's relief. When Draco noticed speculative eyes on him, he muttered, "Daphne and I didn't use any magical bindings in our wedding ceremony."

"You haven't told them about you losing your magic and being sick, Hermione," Harry told her sternly noticing Draco's discomfiture and deciding to change the subject.

So Hermione sighed and told them about the effects of being away from each other. They were shocked that she would let her health and magic deteriorate so much. They were horrified that she could have died if she hadn't returned. They offered to help her in any way so that she could regain her strength.

"Is that why you asked Harry to cast the spells?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded.

"You shouldn't have stayed away for so long," Draco told her feeling guilty for what she had gone through. Hermione looked at him knowing it was time to let him know about Emmie.

"I have one more thing to tell you about, but it's easier to just show you. I'll be right back. I have to get something from Hogwarts. It will only take a couple of minutes, " Hermione told them rising.

Harry asked her if he should accompany her, but she shook her head. Instead she looked at Luna asking, "Will you come with me?"

The blond woman immediately rose to her feet saying, "Of course I will, Hermione."

~*~*~*~*~*~

The two women used Harry's Floo to return to Hogwarts. In Minerva's quarters, they found Lally and Emmie playing on the floor. Luna took one look at the girl and said in her most joyful voice, "Hermione, you and Draco have a baby! She's beautiful!" Her easy acceptance of the situation was typical of her personality. Hermione smiled.

"Thank you, Luna, she is," Hermione answered. Then she asked the younger witch gently, "Do you know that you're expecting Ron's baby?"

Luna's eyes filled with her characteristic dreamy expression, "Oh yes, how did you know? I only found out yesterday."

"It was the extra color in the bond line between the two of you. It's the same as there is in the one between Draco and me," Hermione replied. "I asked you to come because when I tell everyone else about Emmie, someone might figure out your news."

"That's all right. I was going to tell him today anyway," she said then clapped happily. "This is a perfect day. First a coven and now two new children for it!" Luna knelt down and began to play with Emmie. The little one looked curiously at the smiling blond and quickly became friends.

Hermione dismissed Lally after praising her and watched Luna play peekaboo with Emmie. _Two down; four more to go_, she thought. She went to the bedroom to gather a few necessities for her daughter. Then she returned to the main room and reminded the other woman that the others were waiting. They arrived in the Potter's living room no more than ten minutes after they had exited it. Luna carried her newest little friend into the library.

Draco was laughing about something that Neville had said when the two witches entered the room. To his confusion, Luna was carrying a small blond child in her arms. Hermione was watching them all with a look that he couldn't read. Everyone except Harry looked at the the ex-Ravenclaw questioningly.

"Ron," Luna announced, "I'm going to have a baby."

There were startled exclamations from her coven members, even Harry hadn't expected this. They stared at her animated face for a few seconds and then all looked at Ron for his reaction. He turned white then bright red and didn't say anything in his shock. His face though, had a soft expression as he gazed at his fiancee. He hurriedly walked over to her and put his arms around her including Emmie in the embrace. "Oh Luna, really?"

Emmie made a peeping noise at the funny man squeezing her and her new friend. This brought Ron's attention back to her. "Who's this then? Even I know it takes longer than ten minutes to have a baby." He and the others laughed at his comment.

Luna dropped her second bombshell. "Everyone, this is Hermione's baby, Emmie. Isn't she great? Now we'll have two children for our coven."

All eyes in the room went to Hermione and then back to the little girl in Luna's arms. Hermione watched the expressions on Draco's face as he took in the little girl with platinum blond curls. His laughter died as he stared at her intently. Puzzlement, recognition, shock, and then anger finally settled on his face.

"Hermione," Draco said slowly, biting out each word. "When was she born?"

Hermione sighed at his response. "The September after I left. What else was I supposed to do?"

"You could have told me!" he yelled at her.

"I was going to, but then you told me you were going to marry Daphne. You wanted a_ pureblood son_. I remember our last conversation. _I _wasn't an acceptable mother for your heir. You wanted me to be your _mistress_, not your wife!" she retorted in a heated voice. Emmie made a distressed sound, scared by her Mum's loud voice. Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself down. She reached out and smoothed her daughter's hair to soothe her. Then the young mother added more quietly to Draco, "I did what I thought was best at the time. I let you go."

The others had been watching the exchange with wide eyes. Harry chose that moment to step in. "Why don't we take Emmie into the kitchen for a snack? You two need to talk by yourselves." He reached for the little girl and she looked at him with big eyes. He held up his left hand and she giggled reaching for his wedding ring. She went to him willingly and he carried her from the room with the others following in their wake. Ron put his arm around Luna as they left. Draco watched the little girl until she was out of sight.

"I still had the right to know! It would have made a difference," Draco said turning back to Hermione once the door closed. He was still angry at her.

"Would it really? Be honest with yourself. For as long as I've known you, there has only been one truth that I've known about you. You love being a Malfoy. Everything you did was to make your parents proud of you," Hermione stated without rancor. "Everything you ever chose was in hopes of pleasing them: hating muggleborns, becoming a Deatheater, getting married to the witch of their choice. Whatever passed between you and me, there was no escaping that. I always knew I wasn't enough to make you change."

There was a long silence as Draco took in her words. His anger died as he couldn't say anything to refute her words. He thought about what his life could have been like if he had chosen the woman beside him. It would have been better than the one he had been living. He wondered what her life, their lives, had been like without him. After a long painful moment of silent recollection Draco said, "I'm sorry. I can't change what I've done Hermione, but it's different now. I'm different now. I want to know her. She's my daughter."

"No, she's not. She's _my_ daughter. You can't be her father. It would only end up with her getting hurt. You wouldn't be abl-"

"I'd never do anything to hurt her. What kind of a bastard do you think I am?" he interrupted, angry once again, "I just want to know her. It's taken me a long time, but I've changed. I don't give a damn about blood purity any more. "

It wasn't the war that had changed him; it had taken months of living with the perfect pureblood wife: a woman with faultless antecedents, but who was cold, calculating, and without a loving bone in her body. He had not had one scrap of affection from her. He knew what loving relationships were; he saw what his friends and even his parents shared. In the disaster that was his marriage, he had often thought of the woman that he had driven away. The one that was right beside him now.

"Let me finish," Hermione put up a hand. Her eyes met his and she continued earnestly, "Look, I let you back into my bed last time knowing I would probably get hurt. But I'm a grown up and deserved any heartache that I got. I've forgiven you for that because I made my own choices, too. But Emmie is just a little girl and I won't let her be hurt. I believe you mean well right now, but what happens when Daphne or your parents find out? And need I remind you that you have a son on the way?"

She looked at him with brutal honesty. "I don't know that you're strong enough to stand up for her and I'm not willing to risk her. What happens if she does begin to love you? I don't want to have to explain to her that you're not around because you have to be with your _real_ family. I won't set her up for that kind of hurt."

"She looks exactly like me! People are going to know. She's going to figure it out one day," he argued. _What did I do to us?_

"I'll worry about that when it happens. Maybe she'll be old enough to understand by then. Right now though, it's enough if you don't acknowledge us, Draco. People can make whatever speculations that they want, but without confirmation they can't _do_ a damn thing. The wizarding world will mostly ignore that I'm an unmarried mother because of who I am. I'm still a war hero too. However, if you try to claim Emmie, imagine the trouble that will erupt. You say that blood status doesn't matter to you, but can you say that about the other purebloods? Hero or no, your family will never think I'm good enough for you. To them I'll always be some mudblood whore trying to entice you away from your pregnant pureblood wife, trying to trap you with a half-blood bastard. Would you do that to her?" _Would you do that to me?_

Draco felt a pain in his chest knowing it was exactly what would happen. _What do I do now? I almost forgot about my other child, my son. Daphne will never give up her rights as Mrs. Malfoy once he's born. _He asked her, "Would you have ever told me about her if it weren't for this coven bond or would you have let some other wizard raise my child?"

"No. I wouldn't have come back or told you," Hermione told him holding his eyes with her own. "She's the most important person in my life now. I took the best options that I had in the States, but I have to be here now. The bond makes me _want_ to be with all of you, but do you think I'm happy to bring my daughter to a place where our blood makes us less in the eyes of others? A place where her life may be in danger because of who you are?"

She touched his hand softly, and he shuddered at the feelings that unexpectedly went through him again at the contact. Her brown eyes were glistening with tears and seemed to be filled with so many emotions.

"Please, Draco. I've loved you since I was sixteen years old in spite of all the heartache you caused me. I don't regret _us_, because if it had never happened I wouldn't have Emmie. But she's here now, and it's my job to protect her. If you ever truly felt anything for me, you'll let us be. The Malfoy name is becoming respected again because of you. You have a wife that society accepts and will have a son to carry on your name. Your parents are proud of you. Don't ruin what you've worked so hard for. I left in part to give you the opportunity to get what you _needed_. Give us the same chance."

"You named her Emmie?"

"It's Minerva Eltanin Granger," Hermione said, "but I call her 'Emmie' for the initials."

His mouth quirked in a sad smile as he understood immediately where she had gotten the middle name from. "What am I supposed to do?"

Hermione told him the plan that she had come up with. "You can be her uncle, just like Harry, Ron, and Neville. We'll be seeing each other often and sometimes she'll be with me. The bond requires that, but you don't have to be alone with us. If the others are with us it'll be all right, but you can not stand out from them for her. Don't let her learn to love you. That never works out well for us Granger girls. So don't come around us by yourself. Don't tell anyone that you're her father. Let us go. You'll have a child of your own soon. You don't need mine."

He looked into her pleading eyes, his heart feeling like it did the night she had left him in this very house. He finally nodded sadly, since he couldn't make any words come out of his mouth. Without saying anything, he left the room. He stopped at the door to the living room, to watch the others who had congregated within. Luna and Ginny were sitting on the floor with Emmie. Harry, Neville and Ron looked up at him from the couch, but he just shook his head at them.

All of his attention was focused on the little girl, _his daughter_, who was happily trying to catch the magical butterflies that Luna had conjured. Her blond curls bobbed merrily as she giggled and hopped. Her silver eyes danced with happiness. He drank in the sight of her feeling the pain of what he had just promised her mother.

"Draco?" Harry asked him in concern.

"I have to go." he forced out. Harry reached a hand toward him, but Draco stepped back. "I'll see you at work." He quickly turned and left the house with the sounds of the child he was giving up ringing in his ears.


	34. You Can't Help What You Feel

**Chapter 34 You Can't Help What You Feel**

_Last Chapter: All of his attention was focused on the little girl, his daughter, who was happily trying to catch the magical butterflies that Luna had conjured. Her blond curls bobbed merrily as she giggled and hopped. Her silver eyes danced with happiness. He drank in the sight of her feeling the pain of what he had just promised her mother. "Draco?" Harry asked him in concern. "I have to go." he forced out. Harry reached a hand toward him, but Draco stepped back. "I'll see you at work." He quickly turned and left the house with the sounds of the child he was giving up ringing in his ears._

Hermione had bought a small house in a muggle neighborhood not far from Diagon Alley using some of the insurance money that her parents had left for her upon their deaths. She had chosen a quiet neighborhood and she had an enclosed garden where Emmie could play when the weather was nice. The first floor of their house had a living room, a dining room and a kitchen large enough for her friends to gather in. It also had a room off of the kitchen that Hermione turned into a personal potions lab. Upstairs there were three rooms: a bedroom for each of them and a room which Hermione used as a combination study/guest bedroom. Her nearest neighbor was an elderly woman who had been living there for the past thirty years. She was scatterbrained, kind and practically deaf which worked out perfectly for Hermione, since her friends were often visiting at all hours.

Hermione was taking three morning courses at the university located in Wizarding London that Neville and Luna were attending. He was working towards his Herbology credentials and she was studying Magical Creatures. It helped to appease the bond that Hermione was able to see them often between classes. The furor that her return to England had caused had died down after a couple of weeks, though she was still recognized whenever she went into the wizarding world. She, Neville and Luna always drew looks whenever they lunched together. They told her she'd get used to it; it was worse when all seven of them were together.

Hermione didn't worry about herself, but she was still careful about when and where she took Emmie out in public in the wizarding world. She never hid her daughter, but when they were out she tried not to advertise their identities. Usually a couple of hats did the trick. For when she was in class, Hermione had enrolled Emmie in a muggle daycare near her home. She felt that the child was safer in a place where nobody had ever heard of Hermione Granger.

The coven were being true to their word and helping her to regain her old strengths back. They had decided not to tell anyone about the bond that tied them together, but it was common knowledge that they were a close knit group so nobody commented about Hermione spending so much time in their company. On any given week night the others were in and out of her house since it was easiest for her to have Emmie at home. Weekends were designated as coven bonding time. She and Emmie usually slept over at the Potter's house on Saturday night group nights since the adults tended to stay up late. Physically, Hermione quickly gained back the stamina and curves that had all but disappeared by the time she returned to England. She no longer looked like a walking skeleton; in fact, her svelte figure caught many eyes as she hurried across the university campus. She never really noticed as she was usually hurrying to meet her bond mates or going home to her daughter.

The witch's magical abilities were coming back much more slowly. A letter from her Uncle Ethan put her fears to rest; he assured her that since she had lost her magical strength last, it would be the last thing that would come back fully. Her ability to hold power was improving and she was able to do daily magics easily. However, more complex magics were still beyond her. She still knew and performed the correct wand movements and incantations, but the magic either didn't work or took too much out of her. She had almost passed out when she tried to set up her house wards by herself. Luckily Harry and Neville had been there. She had been forced to ask them to set them up in her stead.

Things with Draco had taken a strange turn. He had been trying to be noble for once and had followed her wishes. The rest of their friends had thought the two were completely off their rockers when they announced their intentions, but tried to be supportive. They let Hermione and Draco use them as buffers whenever they were together. Draco had tried his best to keep an emotional distance from Hermione and Emmie. He did not visit their house by himself and he had tried to be just one of the "uncles" when they were all together. In spite of his desire to shower them with gifts and attention, he stepped back whenever possible to let the others in the coven help them when they needed something.

However, things hadn't gone exactly as Hermione had expected. There was one person in the equation that she hadn't taken into consideration when she had formulated her plan: Minerva Eltanin Granger. Her daughter absolutely loved her "Uncle Draco". Every possible moment when the coven was together she sought him out. If he tried to pass her off to one of the others, she would happily play with the other person for a minute and then unerringly make her way back to Draco. She was incredibly persistent like her mother and extremely demanding like her father.

The first time it had happened had been during one of their Saturday gatherings. The coven had been lounging around Harry's living room after dinner. Emmie had just been offered two biscuits by her Auntie Ginny. She promptly bit into one of them and turned to peruse the room filled with her new favorite people. Her eyes were drawn to the big blond man that didn't smile at her like everyone else. He was sitting all by himself and that couldn't possibly be as fun as playing with her. She toddled over to him and decided to give him a bite of her biscuit.

Draco was slumped in a wing chair nursing a firewhiskey and staring at the fire. He was trying not to look at Hermione and Emmie. It was almost torture being near them and it had only been a couple of weeks. Suddenly a small hand with a half eaten biscuit tightly clasped in it appeared in his line of sight. He turned his head to look into the face of the little girl that he had yet to allow himself to talk to or touch. Her silver-gray eyes were shining in the light of the fireplace and she was looking at him with the sweetest expression. He fell instantly and forever in love with her.

"Tweat?" she asked him, pushing the slightly soggy biscuit against his lips. Draco obediently opened his mouth and took a nibble of the soggy biscuit. "Tweat," she repeated happily climbing onto his lap and snuggling in. He set his glass down on the side table and brought his arms around the warm bundle of little girl that was happily eating the rest of her two treats. She occassionally offered him another nibble. He breathed in her clean baby scent and felt his heart fill to bursting.

Draco looked up when he registered the hush that had descended over the room. Everyone was staring at Emmie and him. He looked at Hermione and she was watching the two of them with suspiciously shiny eyes filled with emotions that he couldn't read. He realized that this was not keeping to his part of the agreement. He gently stood up with the little girl in his arms and hugged her to his chest for an instant. He walked over to the couch and deposited her in Harry's lap. It surprised him how difficult it was for him to give her to someone else.

"Thank you for the treat, little one. Why don't you share some with your Uncle Harry," he told her. She was pushing the cookie towards the other wizard's mouth as Draco walked back to his chair and sat down again. He tossed back the remainder of his firewhiskey thinking about how wonderful it had felt to hold his daughter even for just a short moment. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

He opened them quickly when he felt little hands pulling on his pants and arm, and a warm weight wiggle itself up and settle on his lap again. Emmie looked at his face and patted his cheeks with her tiny palms. She started to tell him a long complicated story that came out as happy baby nonsense. He looked at her and listened to her babble as if it were the most important thing he had ever heard. However, he soon stood up again and carried her over to Luna this time.

"Stay here with Auntie Luna, Emmie," he told her firmly. Luna gave him a sympathetic look and took the child. She bagan to play Emmie's favorite game peekaboo.

Draco moved away from that end of the room and purposefully stood with his back to them facing the table where Neville and Ron were playing a game of Wizarding chess. Before he could make any comments, he felt something wrap itself around one of his legs. He looked down and there was his little blond angel smiling up at him. He couldn't help but smile back at her. When she saw that she had his attention, she let go of his leg and reached both her arms up towards him.

"Uppy!" she commanded. He looked around to see everyone except for Hermione grinning at him. He looked at her, silently asking her what she wanted him to do. She looked at their two similar faces: one demanding and one beseeching.

"Uppy!" her daughter said again. Hermione's brain told her to shake her head, but she found that her heart wouldn't let her deny either the child or the man. With a shrug of defeat, she nodded slowly.

Draco smiled gratefully at her and picked up his little girl. She happily rubbed her cheek against his and giggled in his ear.

Later when Emmie had fallen asleep in his arms, Hermione allowed him to carry the baby up to the room that they always used on Saturday nights. He placed her in the crib and put a stuffed unicorn by her side. When he turned around, he found Hermione watching him from the doorway. She moved up next to him and placed a blanket over their child.

"Thank you," he told her. She looked at him briefly with a sad smile but didn't say anything; she just leaned over the crib to smooth Emmie's curls back from her forehead lovingly.

Because she was so near, Draco could smell Hermione's unique scent and it was intoxicating him. Except for her hugs on that first night at Hogwarts, he hadn't held her in his arms for over a year and a half. He couldn't help himself, he stepped closer and put his hands on the crib rail on either side of her body. He dipped his head to nuzzle the side of her neck through her hair just below her ear.

Hermione let out a sharp gasp when she felt his breath against her skin and she jumped back startled. This of course brought her body straight back into contact with his. He groaned and wrapped one arm around her middle while the other one came up to pull her hair back baring her neck to his seeking lips. She couldn't help the small sound of pleasure that she made when he gently bit and then sucked on the spot that he knew had always driven her crazy.

He turned her body towards him and pressed his lips against hers demanding that she let him in. She tried to turn her head, but his mouth followed hers and the hand that had pulled her hair back fisted into the soft mass. Her resolve weakened for a moment and she sighed allowing him entrance to her warm wet cavern. That kiss held all the pent up yearning and desire that had filled him in all the time that she had been gone from him. It was absolutely glorious for both of them.

"Stop, Draco,"she finally murmured, as his lips moved from her mouth to press kisses along her jaw line. She put her hands on his cheeks to halt his movements.

"You want me too," he whispered huskily to her.

"I know," she admitted. The chemistry between hadn't diminished one bit in spite of the passage of time. "But that just makes it harder because nothing has changed. You're still a married man and I'm not going to be your bit o' fluff on the side. I shouldn't even have kissed you," she said touching her lips. She looked at the crib behind him and whispered, "You didn't even have to do anything, but she loves you already. Just don't hurt her, too." She hurried from the room without saying anything else.

When Hermione arrived back downstairs she was flustered and red faced. Draco came in a few moments later with his eyes carefully blank. He went back to his original seat and poured himself another firewhiskey downing it in one swig. The other members of the coven didn't say anything, but within the glances that they sent each other all kinds of messages were exchanged.

~*~*~*~*~

Hermione smiled at Ginny when she winked from where she was dancing with Neville. She had just come back from the ladies room to find that the rest of her table companions were either on the dance floor or over in the bar area waiting to get some drinks. It was late October and they were at a Ministry ball that Kingsley had insisted that they attend. She had received her Order of Merlin First Class in his office earlier in the week in a simple ceremony with just her friends there. He had insisted that they all come to this ball that had already been planned. She sat down at their table to wait for everyone to get back.

A deep voice from behind her broke her out of her reverie, "Would you care to dance, Hermione?" She turned to look, since she didn't recognize the voice. To her surprise, it was Marcus Flint.

She raised her eyebrows at the wizard that she hadn't seen since sixth year. She couldn't imagine why he would want to dance with her. Though he had called a halt to the harassment from Slytherin House after their confrontation, they had by no means become friends. Also, he must not be unaware that it was she who had captured his father during her last Deatheater hunt. "Why?" she asked him.

"Because you're a beautiful woman," he said in a smooth voice. At her dismissive noise and narrowed eyes, he added in a normal tone, "All right, please dance with me because I've owed you an apology for a long time and I thought we could talk while we danced."

She searched his face and seemed satisfied by the honesty in his eyes. She allowed him to take her hand and lead her onto the dance floor. He was a good dancer and they moved together in silence for a few minutes. Marcus looked at her seriously and spoke first.

"I am sorry for what we did to you at Hogwarts, you know." He kept his eyes on hers and said, "It actually was one of the defining moments in my life. When you brought us all down by yourself, you blew all my preconceived notions about non-purebloods to hell and back."

Hermione looked at him astonished, but didn't say anything. He continued, "We used to talk about it at night: Adrian, Miles, and me. You weren't supposed to be, but you were better than us. It made us decide that what our parents had been saying was wrong. We made a pact that we weren't going to take the Dark Mark." He looked pained as he said it and his eyes got a far away look.

"What happened?" she asked knowing there was more to his story.

"We all managed to put it off until almost before the battle. Adrian was called first, three days before the battle and couldn't get out of going. He never came back from the initiation. I heard from my father that he refused to take the mark and they killed him right then and there. My father told me he was a disgrace to all purebloods and that he deserved what he got."

"I'm so sorry, Marcus," the witch in his arms said with sympathy. She hadn't really ever thought about the pureblood families, except for Draco's. She felt bad about that now.

"Miles and I were supposed to take the Mark the next night. We grabbed what money we could and ran before our fathers could make us go. We headed to the continent and stayed there until it was all over. When we came back, we had to go to the aurors to prove we weren't dark wizards." He frowned at her and said, "We were cowards."

"You weren't cowards. You were two boys who were grieving for their friend. You defied your families and turned your back on the whole belief system you'd been raised with to avoid doing something that you knew was wrong. You chose to do the right thing," Hermione said touching his cheek once comfortingly.

"But we didn't go to the Light side and fight. I know Malfoy did that. I heard what you and the others did during the battle. You're all younger than me and yet you fought." He sounded disgusted with himself.

"Marcus, we didn't have a choice. We always knew what side we were on and we did what we had to do to keep alive. Given the choice, we would all have gotten away if we could, but Voldemort would have never let Harry go. We care for him as much as you cared for Adrian. You did what you had to do to stay alive," she told him firmly.

He smiled at her lecturing tone. "Are you always so sure about everything?"

She smiled back and shook her head saying, "If only you knew." She looked at him hesitantly before saying, "You do know that it was me that caught your father, right?"

He nodded solemnly and replied, "I know. It doesn't matter to me though. He disowned me when he found out that I'd abandoned his cause. I don't have contact with anyone in my family anymore."

"What do you do now?" she asked him curious about how he was surviving without his family sponsoring him. Most wizards from traditional families didn't work.

He laughed guessing what she was thinking, "I inherited from my grandparents when I reached my majority. My father couldn't touch that. I do have a job though. I work at the Ministry for the Department of Magical Games and Sports. I'm an assistant mediator. We work with the quidditch leagues handling contractual disputes. I have to travel quite a bit, but I always get great seats to all the games." He looked proud of himself and she smiled glad that he had found his niche. "What about you?"

She told him about attending school and majoring in potions and magical theory. She also told him about her book. He seemed impressed with her accomplishments. They continued talking and stayed on the dance floor through another song. She found that she enjoyed his company; he had turned into a nice man. After the second song, he guided her back to her table.

"Thank you for listening, Hermione. I'm leaving tomorrow for the week. My boss and I have to meet with three different teams in Scotland. Can I take you to dinner when I return?" His tone and expression showed her that he genuinely wanted to meet with her again.

"I'd like that Marcus," she answered him with a smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco sat at the bar in the next room finishing off another drink. For once Daphne was missing a public appearance as Mrs. Malfoy by being absent from the ball. She was in Italy with Millicent for the weekend shopping for baby things and more maternity clothes. He had been forced to leave the ballroom a little while ago because he couldn't stand watching Hermione dance with Flint anymore. They had looked serious for a bit and then she had started laughing and smiling at him. She had even put her hand on his cheek. Draco knew he was jealous and there was nothing that he could do about it.

Hell, he actually liked Marcus Flint; he had turned out to be a decent guy. They had seen each other at the Ministry over the past year and even grabbed lunch together occasionally. Coming from rich pureblood families and both having gone through Slytherin, they simply were comfortable with each other in the way that those with different upbringings wouldn't understand. Unlike most other purebloods they both worked though they didn't need to. They had also chosen not to follow Voldemort. These similarities had separated them from many other purebloods, but had given each of them more respect for the other. They had much in common and had a good time when they got together. _I still want to punch the bloke for dancing with Hermione._

"... is damn sexy. She's supposed to be really good with a wand. I'd let her touch my wand any day of the week," Draco heard a wizard say with a lewd laugh to his companions nearby. He rolled his eyes at the juvenile humor. He saw Harry and Ron enter the room and was heading over to them, when he heard one of the others reply.

"You've got that right. Did you see her in that dress tonight? I heard she came alone. Maybe she would like some company. She'd probably go for one of us. They always talk about how smart and powerful she is, but no one mentioned that the Granger witch is so freaking shaggable."

"I heard that she has a kid already," someone put in.

"Really? A bastard? She must be an easier lay than I thought. Maybe she'd go for more than one of us. I'm going to ask her if she wants to have a nightcap at my place. You in? I bet we could get her to spread those delectable le-"

The wizard never got to finish his sentence as Draco's fist smashed him right in the mouth that had been talking filth about Hermione. His other fist caught the man in the gut. Draco was about to hit the hapless wizard again when he felt two people restraining him. Harry and Ron had rushed to his side and were holding his arms in tight grips.

The wizard that Draco punched was wiping his bleeding mouth with his sleeve and holding his stomach. He glared at Draco and wheezed, "What the hell did you do that for? Get me an auror. I want this man arrested for assault."

"We are aurors," Harry declared. "What happened?"

"I don't know. This maniac came out of nowhere and hit me for no reason," he said indignantly.

Harry looked at Draco for an explanation. He could feel the blond's anger from the way his body was tensed to pounce again. Draco hissed, "He was talking crap about Hermione, Harry. He said she must be an easy lay since she has a child and he was going to try to take her home to share with these arseholes."

His eyes shot daggers at the other two men, who looked scared and put their hands up wordlessly denying that they would ever have anything to do with such a scenario. Harry and Ron were now also glaring at the wizard in front of them. He had turned pale at Draco's words.

"H..Harry? Harry Potter?" the man said in panic suddenly realizing just who these three men were. He looked at Harry's scar and finally noticed the trademark colors of the hair belonging to the other two men. He knew he had just made a huge mistake running his mouth off about that particular witch near these particular men. He started gushing out apologies to Draco, Harry and Ron.

"Do you still want to press charges against Mr. Malfoy?" Harry interrupted his torrent of words.

"N..No..of course not," the wizard stuttered, his heart beating faster at having the blond's identity confirmed.

"Then shove off," Ron said rudely, "and take your friends with you."

The three other men practically ran from the room. Harry and Ron released Draco and turned to him.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Draco said letting out a sigh. "It just pissed me off to hear him talk about Mione that way. He called Emmie a bastard."

Harry looked at Draco with a little sympathy but also with a touch of censure in his eyes. He wanted Draco and Hermione to stop this asinine game that they were playing. Everyone in the coven could feel the emotions between the two and see how much Draco loved Emmie. They really couldn't expect to go on like this for the rest of all of their lives. _For two of the smartest, most powerful people he knew, they were both so stupid when it came to each other._

So Harry Potter shrugged and said callously, "Technically, she is a bastard."

Draco looked at him in shock. He could not believe that his friend had just said that. "You son of a bitch," he said getting angry again. "I thought you cared about Emmie."

"I do. You know I love her, too," Harry told him in a calm voice, "but it is what she is. Her mother was never married to her father and he hasn't claimed her as his legitimate issue. She. Is. A. Bastard." Draco flinched at his words and opened his mouth to reply, but Harry continued, "I'd change it if I could, but I can't. Only _you_ can do that, Draco." The blond man's mouth snapped shut.

"You and Daphne didn't use wizarding bonds in your wedding ceremony. You should be jumping for joy that you don't have to stay married to her. Your son's legitimacy won't change even if he's born after a divorce is final. You and Mione have to stop this ridiculous...facade that you have going on," Harry finished quietly. _ Could it be that simple?_ Draco thought.

Draco looked at Ron and saw that he was nodding in agreement. He said in a serious voice, "We _know_ how you feel. You can fix this, you know."


	35. A Mother's Love

**Chapter 35 A Mother's Love**

_Last Chapter: "You and Daphne didn't use wizarding bonds in your wedding ceremony. You should be jumping for joy that you don't have to stay married to her. Your son's legitimacy won't change even if he's born after a divorce is final. You and Mione have to stop this ridiculous...facade that you have going on," Harry finished quietly. Could it be that simple? Draco thought. Draco looked at Ron and saw that he was nodding in agreement. He said in a serious voice, "We know how you feel. You can fix this, you know."_

"Book, book, book," chanted Emmie gleefully, clutching the magical children's book to her chest. It was an unseasonably warm day for mid November, so Hermione had decided to take Emmie on some errands in Diagon Alley. The little girl was full of energy and smiles.

"Slow down, Emmie," called Hermione laughing at her daughter's antics as the little girl danced in the open doorway of Flourish and Blotts. "Let me finish paying and then we'll go get ice cream." Turning back to the clerk and taking her change she said, "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, Ma'am. Your little witch is just a bright bit of sunshine, isn't she?" the older wizard said smiling indulgently at the girl who was hopping happily in the entryway.

"She brightens up my life and certainly keeps me on my toes! Good day to you."

Hermione laughed good naturedly as she headed towards the exit. Her daughter saw her coming and and ran as fast her little legs could carry her out the door giggling. Hermione hurried out after her just in time to see her daughter collide with a couple strolling leisurely along the sidewalk and fall to the ground.

"Emmie, are you all right?" she exclaimed hurrying over to the toddler. Her pink bonnet had fallen off during the collision and was dangling by it's chin strap down her back. Seeing that her child was unharmed, Hermione quickly gave her a hug while admonishing, "You mustn't run out of stores, Emmie. Someone could get hurt."

Then she picked her daughter up and turned to the couple saying, "I'm so sorry about my daughter, Emmie. You know how children are always on the go without look-"

Her voice died away as she looked into the faces of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. _Oh Merlin, not now!_ She hadn't seen either one of the elder Malfoys since the Hogwarts re-opening celebration and she certainly hadn't talked to them then. Even though they had switched sides in the war, she knew that they had never had any use for a muggleborn like her. Lucius had always made his disdain of her quite clear whenever their paths had crossed.

"Miss Granger," Lucius said in his aristocratic voice. He nodded once at her then turned his head away as if she was of no consequence. _Father would never accept you, _she remembered Draco telling her long ago. She felt an echo of the pain that conversation had caused her and gathered Emmie a little closer, glad that the girl was hiding her face against her mother's shoulder.

"Mr. Malfoy...Mrs. Malfoy....my apologies," the young mother murmured. "Now if you'll excuse us." Hermione had to fight the urge to run and instead started to walk slowly past them in the direction that they had come from.

"And who is this little one?" inquired Narcissa in her low cultured tones, brushing her hand against the bright blond curls at the nape of the small girl's neck as Hermione drew even with her.

Emmie, feeling the gentle touch, wriggled in her mother's arms until she was sitting against Hermione's hip. She turned her face to smile sweetly at the other witch. Narcissa gasped sharply, when she saw the girl's features.

"Pwetty," Emmie proclaimed reaching out and touching the face of the shocked older woman. Hermione quickly stepped back to bring her child out of arms reach of the others.

"Lucius!" the witch said urgently. He had been looking into the window of the bookstore, but turned as soon as he heard his wife's voice. He followed her gaze and found himself staring into eyes the exact same color as his own. Looking at the child's beautiful face, he understood what he was seeing immediately.

"Good Lord," he exclaimed under his breath. His eyes came up to meet Hermione's. She met his gaze squarely with her own but knew he could probably see some of the fear in her expression. Without looking away, Hermione let Emmie slide down to stand on her own feet. She pulled the child behind her to block any danger with her own body and she grasped her wand with her free hand. Lucius didn't miss the protective gesture and his mouth tightened.

"Does Draco know?" he growled softly.

Hermione didn't pretend to misunderstand him. "He saw her for the first time the day after the Hogwarts ceremony and a few times since then. Don't worry though, he won't claim her as a Malfoy," she answered honestly.

"What do you want, Miss Granger?" he asked the question without inflection.

There was a brief flare of pain in her eyes when she answered. "I don't want anything from any of you anymore. The only thing I ever wanted, you told me wasn't meant for me. You should be pleased to know that you were right; you made sure of that." Her mouth twisted briefly in a smile that held no mirth.

At her words, Malfoy remembered his warning in Snape's quarters and the circumstances under which he had said them. Looking at her and seeing her for the first time as a witch instead of just a mudblood, he felt the stirrings of shame. It was not a feeling that he enjoyed at all.

From his face and the younger witch's words Narcissa knew her husband must have had something to do with why this woman was alone with a little girl who was so obviously Draco's daughter. She knew who Hermione was as soon as she had heard Lucius say the younger witch's name. She had acted as the Head Girl to Draco's Head Boy position. However, she hadn't known that there had been something more between this woman and Draco. He had only spoken of her as one of his new friends and battle comrades. Looking back it now seemed odd that he hadn't given many details about her while he had talked of the others in their group at great length. She also knew that Hermione had disappeared for many months after the battle; this little one must have been the reason why. Draco had not brought up Hermione Granger's name once since his marriage to Daphne.

Narcissa began to make some connections. She remembered her son's voice in the hospital saying "treated her horribly and she always forgave me" and the look in his eyes when he had been speaking of the girl he loved. She had never been able to figure out why his and Daphne's relationship had soured. He had been so enamored of her when he spoke of her in the beginning but he didn't look at her with love after their marriage. The Daphne she had come to know did not love him or forgive him for anything; she was nothing at all like her mother had been. Thinking back, Narcissa recalled that her son had never once used his wife's name during those terrible weeks in the hospital. Looking at the witch in front of her, Narcissa at long last realized that Draco had never been talking about Daphne at all.

"Lucius?" Narcissa accused him with growing anger. "What did you do?"

She looked longingly at the adorable little girl, her granddaughter. The mother in her itched to touch that hair again. She didn't dare try as the young woman in front of her was poised to defend her child like a lioness with her cub. The tiny blonde was peeking up at Narcissa curiously from behind Hermione's legs, feeling the tension and distress emanating from her Mum but not understanding it at all. The innocent silver eyes looking up at Narcissa were beginning to turn anxious and her little rosebud mouth was beginning to wobble.

Narcissa turned her gaze to Hermione searchingly, "Miss Granger, do you... or … Emmie? … need anything?"

"I need to know if my daughter's life is in danger because of who and what I am." Hermione stated baldly as she watched the elder wizard carefully. She had seen the genuine emotion in the eyes of Draco's mother, but still did not trust her husband.

"No," Narcissa answered in a horrified whisper, not pretending to misunderstand Hermione's words either. She had been born a Black and had made an alliance marriage with a Malfoy. She knew better than most the darker side of those who were fanatics about maintaining blood purity.

"Lucius?" she spoke without raising her voice but there was a hint of steel in that single word. He looked at the demand in his wife's eyes and nodded his agreement.

Hermione let out the breath that she hadn't realized she was holding. She didn't relax her stance or lower her wand as she addressed the older couple.

"The best thing for everyone, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, is to forget that you ever saw us. Draco's _wife_ is pregnant with a pureblood son. He'll be your heir. In just a few weeks you'll have the grandchild that you really want." She looked at them steadily for a moment before adding, "Please don't think of us at all. We're no threat to you. In fact, we're nothing to the Malfoy family."

With that said, Hermione gathered her daughter into her arms and took two steps back from the pureblood couple. She turned on her heal and with a sharp CRACK she and Emmie were gone. The only evidence to show that the mother and child had even been there was a brightly colored children's book laying face down on the sidewalk.

Narcissa looked at her husband's frozen face; he was looking at the book on the ground. "What did you do?" she asked him again.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Draco entered the Manor after work that night in a rush. He wanted to take a quick shower and a grab a change of clothes before he had to have dinner with Daphne and his parents. It was a ridiculous tradition since none of them had anything to say to each other anyway. He hoped it wasn't too long tonight, as he was expected at Harry's house afterward. He had been running a bit late, because he had stopped by Gringotts Bank this evening to take care of some business for Emmie. He knew Hermione might pitch a fit, but he wasn't going to allow his daughter to be a pauper all of her life. He smiled at the thought of his daughter's cheerful little face. _Was she too young to own a tiara?_

His hair was still wet from the shower, when he came down the stairs and into the dining room. To his surprise it was empty. He wondered if everyone had decided to eat out without him. That would be wonderful since he could then head straight to Harry's. He could always beg dinner from Ginny; she was quite a good cook. A house elf appeared at his call and told him that Lucius was not eating tonight; Daphne had ordered a tray brought to her suite; and his mother was in her private sitting room. She had requested that he join her there as soon as he was able.

Draco wondered what this was all about. He had spent many hours of his childhood playing on the floor of his mother's private domain while she wrote letters, read, or completed the myriad of tasks that mothers do while their children aren't paying attention. He hadn't passed much time in there in recent years, but some of his best memories of his younger years were from that room.

He knocked on the door and entered at his mother's invitation. Narcissa was sitting on a settee with a cup of tea in front of her and a handkerchief in her hand. Her eyes were red and puffy and it was obvious that she had been crying. Though she smiled at him when he came in, she was clearly still upset about something. Draco immediately sat at her side.

"What's wrong, Mother?" he asked her feeling a bit frightened. He hadn't seen her cry in many months. He hoped she wasn't having some type of relapse.

"Your father -" she began but he interrupted her.

"What did he do to you? Did he hurt you?" Draco demanded. "Where is he?"

"No, Draco," she said to him. "He didn't do anything to me. It's you that he's hurt, that I've hurt."

"I'm fine, Mother," Draco said to her puzzled. "In fact I haven't even seen father all day. How could he have hurt me? I know _you _haven't done anything to me."

Narcissa didn't answer at first. She looked at him with such sadness in her eyes. He was beginning to be really worried about her. She was gazing at him such regret. He considered calling a healer since she seemed so strange tonight. She finally spoke, but what she said wasn't anything that he had expected to hear from her.

"Will you tell me about Hermione Granger?" she asked him. "Do you still love her?"

Draco stared at her in shock. "What do you mean, Mother? Who have you been talking to?" he asked.

"Oh Draco," she answered sadly, having gotten her answer from the look on his face. "What did we make you do? It was never Daphne, was it? You loved someone else and we forced you apart. That poor witch had to have my first grandchild, that sweet baby girl, all by herself."

"How do you know about Hermione and Emmie, Mother?" he asked her anxiously. "Where's Father?" he suddenly asked worried about what Lucius might be doing right now. He jumped up to run out of the room but his mother's voice stopped him.

"Your father is in his study. He's not going to do anything to harm either of them. He promised me that," she told her son. "I told him I would leave him if anything happens to Miss Granger or her child."

Draco felt relieved because the threat of Narcissa leaving was one of the few things that could reign in Lucius. He sat back down and looked at her questioningly. She told him about the encounter with Hermione and Emmie outside of Flourish and Blotts earlier today. Then she asked him to tell her the real truth about what had happened between them. She wasn't as weak as everyone assumed, she assured him. She was strong enough handle whatever he told her. She just didn't want to be lied to anymore.

Draco finally told her what she wanted to know about everything. He didn't spare her the details about the evil deeds that he had done or the times when he had been injured like he had omitted them during his recitations in St. Mungo's. He started with the events of sixth year and told her how he had seduced and betrayed the Gryffindor girl and the harassment that followed ultimately leading to the deaths of her parents. He told her about seventh year and how Hermione had saved him in more ways than one at great cost to herself. He spoke of Hermione's never ending supply of compassion, love and loyalty.

He finally admitted to his mother why he had married Daphne and how he had driven Hermione away. He told her about the coven and how Hermione had paid the price of her health and magic because of the separation. He finally told her about Hermione's return and the promise he'd made to keep at a distance.

He had smiled when he told her how Emmie had thrown that plan out the window and how Hermione had relented to allow him to get to know his daughter. He grew serious and somewhat sad when he said that everyone still referred to him as "Uncle Draco" and that Hermione had declared herself off limits.

Narcissa had asked him some questions and made a few comments during his story that made him see things from a different perspective. She shed tears for him and many more for Hermione. His mother didn't judge his actions now, but accepted that what happened in the past couldn't be changed. She told him that she loved him no matter what. He would understand that now that he had a child of his own and another on the way. She smiled at his descriptions of Emmie and the paternal love that was evident in his eyes every time he mentioned her name.

Draco couldn't believe how relieved he was to tell his mother this story. Long ago he'd wished that she was strong enough so that he didn't have to be the one to save her. He was glad that there was one person in this house that was on his side. His mother may not have always understood him, but she truly did love him. It made the choices that he had made easier to bear. Finally she freed him by asking him what no one had ever asked him.

"What do _you_ really want? Don't think about me or your father or your responsibility to the Malfoy name. What would make _you_ happy?"

He looked at her and simply answered, "Hermione and Emmie. I'll love my son also when he comes, but I can't live without Hermione and Emmie."

Narcissa drew him into her arms and gently told him, "Then don't live without them."

~*~*~*~*~*~

After Draco left his mother, he went to see his wife in her suite. He walked into the front room where she was sitting on a couch reading a wizarding magazine and drinking a glass of juice.

"We need to talk, Daphne," he said without preamble.

"About what, Draco?" she shot back. "I'm too tired to deal with any crap from you tonight."

"I'm done," he said plainly.

"What are you talking about?" she asked him.

"This. Us. The disaster we call a marriage," he clarified. "It's over. I want a divorce"

"What?" she asked in shock. "Why?"

"Do you really have to ask? You never wanted to be married to me in the first place. We have nothing in common. We don't even like each other. Why drag it out?"

"You never cared before. It's a freaking arranged marriage," she retorted. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "What's changed?"

"None of your damn business," Draco told her. "It's not like you care what I do anyway."

Daphne didn't really give a shit about what he did. Once the baby was born she wouldn't need him anymore. However, she did need to stay married to him until all her plans came to fruition. He was not going to ruin everything when she was so close. He always had been a selfish bastard. Why didn't he just leave everything the way it was supposed to be?

She thought furiously about the past few weeks to what he could have been doing. _How the hell am I supposed to know what's going through his stupid head?_ All he ever did was work and spend time to his stupid goody-goody friends. That had to be it! _Goody-goody Granger _was what Pansy used to call the know-it-all. Things had been different since that mudblood had come back. She remembered he had actually been hugging her when she had gone into the teacher's room that night.

"It's Granger, isn't it? Don't tell me you're fucking the mudblood? Can you get any lower? You used to laugh at her and talk about what a bitch she was. What happened to you? She must know some good whore tricks if you're willing to stick your dick into her filth. "

"Shut up. I'm not fucking her. You don't know anything about her. She the kindest most compassionate person that I know. You think you're so superior when you're the coldest, most self-centered bitch that I've ever had the misfortune to meet."

Daphne looked at his face and what she saw shocked her even more. _Merlin, he's in love with the mudblood. _She knew she could use this information to her advantage.

"Calm down, Draco. There's no need for us to get a divorce. If you want to roll in filth, I don't care. Just do it away from me. There's no reason for us to change the way things are now. I know how men are. I'll just forget this little conversation and you can have your _fun_,"she said trying to pacify him.

Daphne didn't understand the look of repugnance that crossed his face. His voice was an angry growl when he said, "Don't say one more fucking word or I will not be responsible for what I will do to you."

She glared at him and replied, "You won't do anything. I'm pregnant, you arse."

"I know," he said in disgust. "Merlin, I wish it were anyone but you. I want my son, but this marriage is done. That's final."

"I won't give him to you, you bastard," she said. "He's mine."

Draco let a touch of his old arrogance cross his face. "You forget who controls the purse strings in this family. I'll be generous and give you more than you'll need for the rest of your life. You can do what you want and go where you want. You can even see our son, but he will be staying with me. Don't push your luck, Daphne. You won't win this one."

"We'll see about that. Get out!" she screamed at him. She picked up the glass she had been drinking from and threw it at his head. He dodged it easily.

"You can stay here until the baby is born, but then I'll want you out." He looked at her slightly baffled before adding, "I am sorry it has to be like this, Daphne. If you could have tried to meet me partway in this marriage, maybe things could have been different. We were friends once in school." He shrugged and walked out.

When he was gone, Daphne levered herself up and went to the desk. Grabbing a parchment and quill, she quickly scribbled a note and sent it on its way by owl.

_He wants a divorce. We have to move the timetable up. Meet me in the usual place tomorrow morning at 9. Tell your friend that I have a present for him. This time he'll get what he's always wanted. Two birds with one stone._

_D._

Daphne put her hand on her distended belly. "Don't worry baby. Mummy won't let anything happen to you."


	36. Trying To Make Things Right

**Chapter 36 Trying To Make Things Right**

_Last Chapter: (Letter written by Daphne) He wants a divorce. We have to move the timetable up. Meet me in the usual place tomorrow morning at 9. Tell your friend that I have a present for him. This time he'll get what he's always wanted. Two birds with one stone. D......Daphne put her hand on her distended belly. "Don't worry baby. Mummy won't let anything happen to you."_

Hermione was in Gringotts Wizarding Bank making a withdrawal. She had accounts in a muggle bank in London to take care of household expenses and Emmie's daycare, but needed to pick up some Galleons to go shopping in the wizarding world. Her Gringotts account was quite healthy. Her uncle had helped her make sure that part of her inheritance had been exchanged into wizarding funds when she had lived with him and the money coming in from her book sales padded the account nicely.

Her book was selling well among those interested in magical theory. Several wizarding universities, which intended to use her book as a text for classes, had put in orders with her publisher for multiple copies. She had written the book from an academic perspective on the theory of manipulating magical energies and how that applied to sustaining multi-spell sequences and _spellsongs_. It was actually quite dry. To the disappointment of many, it did not actually give directions on how to _spellsing._ Hermione didn't know if she wanted that information in the wrong hands.

The Ministry of Magic had approached her about writing a training manual about _spellsinging _that would only be available to law enforcement agencies. They were also interested in a manual consisting of all of the "games" that she had invented to train her friends for battle. It seemed that the ones that Harry, Ron, and Draco had shared were extremely popular with the aurors. They were offering quite a hefty sum of money for those two pieces of literature.

Ginny was waiting for her by the entrance of the bank. She had taken the afternoon off from her apprenticeship at St. Mungo's. They were going to look for wedding presents for Ron and Luna, who were going to be married in two days. The two were going to move into Luna's tower afterward. Her father, Xenophilius, had decided that he was going to travel for a few years to see if he could get his creative juices flowing. He would be back for frequent visits to bring his articles back for The Quibbler and to see his grandchild. Hermione didn't know quite what to get for the couple but knowing their personalities it seemed that something unconventional would be appropriate.

Hermione was waiting for the goblin that had guided her to and from her vault to come back. Upon their return to the lobby, he had asked her to wait for a moment as there was a note to contact a manager when she next accessed her vault. A short while later he stepped back up to the counter with a goblin who appeared to be a more senior member of the bank. Nodding respectfully to her and his superior, the original goblin retreated.

"Good day, Miss Granger. I have some papers that need your approval. I do believe that you are the parent and legal guardian to one Miss Minerva Eltanin Granger. You will need to sign these with your magical signature so that she will be able to officially lay claim to her funds. It will also be necessary for you to bring her in one day so that the vaults can be keyed to her specifically."

"Vaults? I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken. I haven't requested any monies to be put into her name, though now that you mention it that would be a good idea for me to do that," Hermione said thinking of school funds for Emmie. "What funds are we talking about, sir? I am quite confused about the vaults you are talking about."

"Miss Granger, two vaults were placed in Miss Minerva's name. I assure you the funds were transferred quite legally."

"Who opened these accounts?" she asked though she knew the answer immediately. _Draco._

The bank official lowered his voice, "The patron said that you would know who he was and that he while he was willing to make the knowledge public, he would leave it as your decision if you want me to name him aloud here." She looked around and noted that there were a few interested ears trying to listen in on the conversation. She shook her head.

In a more normal voice he continued, "There are two vaults: one which contains actual cash and a smaller one which contains various jewelry and items that are to belong to Miss Minerva. I have a full inventory for you. He asked me to make sure that you understood that there were no strings attached to any of these things. The funds are solely Miss Minerva's though you will have access to them, as her guardian, to use for her needs until she is of age. He will never have access to the vaults or be able to take back any of the items or monies in the future."

Hermione thought quickly and asked, "Do any of his family members know about this or can they find out?"

"Unless you or he inform them that would be an impossibility; our confidentiality is world renowned. He used only his personal accounts not the family vaults." The goblin sounded offended at the question.

"I meant to cast no aspersions on the integrity of the bank, I am just worried that this might be...awkward... if they knew," she said. He nodded accepting her explanation. _Lucius would not be happy if he knew Draco was giving away Malfoy money. _

She and Draco had talked about what had happened last Thursday. He had guaranteed Emmie's safety. He told her about his mother's desire to meet both of them and how she wanted to spend some time getting to know them. Hermione had told him that she would _think_ about it. _There is no way in hell that I am going to bring Emmie to the freaking Manor! He didn't say Lucius wanted to meet Emmie, so we're just going to stay as far away from him as possible._

Draco had also hinted that he had some surprises for her and Emmie, but she didn't know what they were. Maybe this was one of them. Hermione wasn't sure what was going on in that Slytherin head of his. She knew in Draco's mind that he thought he was doing a good thing. He wasn't trying to buy Emmie's affection, even he knew she was too young to care about that. Hermione decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and interpret this as him trying take care of Emmie in a way that he understood. She wished money wasn't so important to him. Mentally shrugging, Hermione made up her mind to accept it in the spirit that it was given.

"Very well, sir," she said aloud. "Though I would like you to change the stipulation that I will have access to the vaults. They may remain closed until my daughter reaches her majority. I can comfortably care for her until then." _I never wanted his money, and I don't want him thinking that I'm using it now._

The goblin shuffled some papers to the top of the pile and said, "The patron said that you would probably say just such a thing and had me prepare an alternate version of the contracts with just that change." _Of course Draco should know that by now, _she thought.

The banker slid the papers towards her and as she read them over, she realized that they weren't to open new accounts. Draco was actually transferring his personal vaults to Emmie's name. She looked at the goblin in shock and exclaimed, "He can't give her _all _of his money."

"He said you'd say that too," the goblin muttered. "He left me this to give to you if you brought up that point or made any protests." He handed her a sealed parchment. Hermione opened it and read:

_Hermione,_

_Let me do this for her. For once don't argue with me. Everything else is entailed to the male heirs. You know I have access to more since I'm the current male heir and I do have my auror salary. I'll be fine. I just want to make things right for her. Please. _

_Draco_

She sighed and used her wand to sign where indicated. Her signature glowed and then melted into the paper. The goblin slid one more parchment towards her and said, "Thank you Miss Granger. Here is the inventory of the vaults. Remember to bring in Miss Minerva so we can link the vaults to her. Have a good day." He nodded his head and walked away quickly lest she have any more protests.

Hermione looked down at the parchment in her hand. She nearly fainted at the amount listed. Emmie definitely qualified as an heiress now. Glancing at the inventory, she raised her eyebrows at the tiara with forty-two karats worth of diamonds on it. Ginny hurried over to her asking if she was all right. Hermione nodded her head mumbling about ridiculous Slytherin men.

As they left the wizarding bank, Hermione didn't notice the the figure that watched the two of them as they walked down Diagon Alley. He followed slowly behind them.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"So," Ginny said as they sat at a restaurant having afternoon tea. They had successfully found gifts and were relaxing before they had to head back to the the Burrow where Molly was watching Emmie. "What's been going on with Marcus Flint? You've been spending a lot of time with him lately. Are you two having a hot and heavy affair?"

"He's a nice man," Hermione said. "We've only been out to dinner two times and had lunch once. Oh, and we met for coffee a couple of time. It's not a hot and heavy affair. At least not yet." She grinned at Ginny when she said the last part.

"Yeah, but he's only been back for a short while and I didn't know about the coffee. That's five meetings in a week and a half," Ginny told her. The red head asked her curiously, "How far have you gone with him?"

"What are we, back in school?" Hermione joked trying to skirt the issue.

"Quit stalling, Granger, I want the juicy details."

"Oh all right! You're so nosy," she told her friend. Ginny just shrugged and gave her a _you know me _look. "We've kissed a few times, you know, hellos and goodbyes, and we made out a little bit last night when he brought me home. He gave me a fabulous back massage when I said I'd pulled something. Don't get that grin on your face! It's nothing too serious," Hermione told the other woman with a slight blush.

"So how was he?"

"Actually he's quite good. He has _really _good hands and his kisses aren't too shabby. I really like being with him. He's so sure of who he is and he doesn't give a damn about the whole pureblood-mubbleborn thing," Hermione answered. "Marcus wants me and Emmie to come to his place around noon on Sunday. He promised to make us lunch and then take us for ice cream or something."

"He knows about Emmie?" Ginny asked amazed.

"Yeah, I introduced Emmie to him on our first date _before _I brought her to your place. That's why I had to floo away so quickly. After he met her, I asked him to wait at my house while we floo'd to you. I said I'd understand if he wasn't there when I got back. What's the point of going on a date with someone if they can't handle the situation? Marcus was great though. He seemed a bit surprised, but he hadn't run away before I got back. "

"Does he know who she belongs to? What does Draco think of all this?"

"I'm pretty sure Marcus suspects, but he is too much of a gentleman to ask. Draco has no say in any of this. He can see Emmie if he wants and spend time with her, but he knows that _I_ won't play with a married man."

Ginny nodded understandingly. "Are you bringing Marcus to Ron's wedding?"

"I thought a family wedding might be a bit too much this early in the game, so I didn't ask him. We need to let things progress naturally without that kind of stress and I don't want to screw this up. Besides, I'll be up front with all of you most of the time," Hermione said with a shrug. Glancing at her watch she added, "Look at the time, Gin, we told your Mum we would be back by now. We'd better go."

The two women paid and left, but the man following Hermione didn't bother to go after them. He knew where they were going. He thought about what he had heard and was a bit confused. Daphne had sworn that her husband was in love with the mudblood and that she would make the perfect bait to trap him. Now that Malfoy wanted to ditch Daphne right away, they didn't want to wait for the child to be born to get rid of him. But Granger had been talking about fooling around with Flint. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he wouldn't have been surprised to hear that she was doing them both. _She was such a whore anyway. She always had been. _

It sounded more like Malfoy was interested in this Emmie woman, whoever she was. It seems like she was one of the mudblood's friends. Maybe Daphne had misunderstood what Malfoy had been talking about. It didn't matter though, he'd heard enough information. He and his partner could make a new plan.

Granger had said she and the other witch would be at Flint's place on Sunday. They could just snatch _both _women. Whichever one was with Malfoy, they would have her. Then he would do exactly what they wanted. He really hoped it was the other one. He didn't give a fuck about her and that would mean that he could have Granger. He'd been wanting her for such a long time. _She owes me. I should be able to have my pick of witches and it's her fault that I don't. She had started the whole thing and I'm going to make her pay._

Granger's house wards had been too strong for them to penetrate. They couldn't even get a glimpse of the inside and she never seemed to be alone. Her fucking friends were always in and out of her home. They would have to check out Flint's home. It would probably be their best chance. He shouldn't be too much of a problem to deal with. _He's just a fucking blood traitor anyway._

_That's right, you mudblood bitch. You thought you could get away with what you did, but I'll have my revenge soon. _He smiled at the thought of having her in his power. His mouth moved into such a broad smile that the waitress thought the handsome wizard must have just received some excellent news.

"Aren't you looking happy today," she said to him as she picked up the bill.

"Oh," he said. "I just found out that I'm going to be seeing an old friend soon." He smiled again but this time the waitress shivered. Up close, the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ronald Weasley and Luna Lovegood were married on a crisp cool autumn day. It was late afternoon and there was not a cloud in the sky. Luna had wanted to be married outside, so the Weasleys had transformed the yard behind the Burrow into a wedding wonderland. There were rows of white chairs divided by an aisle with a white runner down the middle. On the other side of the yard was a large white tent with tables and a dance floor for the reception to follow the ceremony. Flowers and ribbons bedecked everything. The family had put warming charms on the whole area so that the the wedding party and guests didn't have to bother with outer wear.

Hermione gave Luna one last embrace before walking out through the kitchen doorway on her cue. She blamed it on the wedding atmosphere, but she was already feeling overly sentimental today. Dahlia had already exited before her and Ginny was patiently awaiting her turn as she was Matron of Honor. The witch made her way down the aisle towards the men up front. The two sexes had been separated for the past twenty-four hours and this was the first she had seen of them. The men had decided upon a stag night at Harry's house yesterday, while the women had bunked at Hermione's place.

Ron, Harry, Draco and Neville were waiting in a line looking very handsome in their formal black dress robes. They stood together as a united front and more than one guest commented that though their physical features were so varied, something made them seem like brothers. The groom looked quite dapper, a far cry from the ragged maroon clad boy from the Yule Ball of fourth year. He smiled distractedly at his favorite female friend, but his eyes were clearly searching behind her for his bride-to-be.

Hermione's brown eyes were drawn to Draco's silver ones. They were looking at her with admiration and longing in his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat in her chest and she allowed herself to daydream for an instant that this was _their_ wedding and he was waiting for her. Her eyes misted and she had to look away from him lest she start bawling right then and there.

A squeal of "Mum mum," cut through the music of the string quartet bringing a round of chuckles from the assembled guests. She looked to see her daughter standing on her Grandma Minerva's lap bouncing and waving at her. Her white dress was already a bit rumpled and her headband was slightly off kilter, but she was still an adorable sight. She was holding a thornless red rose that she waved like flag accidentally whacking Severus Snape, who was seated next to Minerva, in the face. He didn't say a word, just gently shifted the rose in her grip so that it wasn't flinging around quite so energetically.

Hermione reached the front of the aisle and took her place next to Dahlia. She turned to wait for Ginny to join them and for Luna to take her last walk as an unmarried woman. Her eyes looked towards the groomsmen to see Draco staring at her again. He had eyes for her alone and he let her see all the emotions that he held for her. If she had been in front of a mirror, she would have seen that her face held a poignancy that was breaking his heart. Luckily only one person, Severus, noticed their expressions. Everyone else had turned to watch first Ginny and then Luna as she made her way down the aisle on her father's arm.

Draco and Hermione managed to bring their expressions though not necessarily their emotions, under control during the magical ceremony that bound their two friends together for life. In a display of perfect timing, the official of the ceremony cast the final spell so that it lit up the two just as the sun began to set. Hermione would never admit it, but she had missed most of what went on as her attention and mind had been on Draco the entire time.

When the ceremony was complete, Ginny had to nudge her to get her moving. She walked towards the center aisle again though for the return trip she was to meet and traverse it with Draco. This time she couldn't meet his eyes as she linked her arm through his. As they made their way towards the Burrow, she could feel the tension in his arm. As soon as she was able, she slipped away from him and hurried into the house ignoring his whispered, "Hermione."

~*~*~*~*~*~

By the time the whole wedding party reconvened outside, twilight had ended and night had fallen. The tent and yard were lit by hundreds of floating mage lights giving a fairy tale appearance to the scene. Everyone applauded as the newlyweds joined the festivities. Dinner was served and all enjoyed the meal to the accompaniment of much laughter and many toasts. Ron and Luna sat at a table for two up front in full view of everyone. To the amusement of the guests, George announced that all it had taken was the love of a good witch to make Ron finally learn some table manners. Ron had laughingly thrown a piece of asparagus at his older brother.

Hermione took this time to feed Emmie and sit at one of the small tables with Minerva and Severus. She avoided Draco, who ended up sitting with Neville, Dahlia, and a couple of his auror buddies. Throughout the meal, she could feel his eyes upon her.

Daphne was not present. She had avoided contact with Draco since their last talk. In any case, she would not have chosen to attend a wedding where the press had been banned and guests were primarily aurors, Order of the Pheonix members, and ex-Griffyndors. He was just glad that she wasn't there. The elder Malfoys had not been invited nor had they expected an invitation to a Weasley wedding.

By the end of the meal, the DADA professor was cradling the Emmie in his arms. Her little face was smudged with the remains of her meal and she was soundly asleep having been completely exhausted by the busy day. Snape's face had a relaxed expression and the normally fastidious wizard ignored the crumbs and smears on his dress robes. Hermione thanked both of her mentors and was about to take the child back to the house to put her to bed, when she heard Mr. Weasley calling for the members of the bridal party.

Fleur came over and took Emmie, saying that she would bring her to the house with her own sleeping daughter. Victoire was being carried by Bill. The Veela was going to stay inside and rest for a bit, she told them rubbing the small bump on her stomach. Feeling Emmie was perfectly safe, Hermione smiled and headed towards the dance floor.

The string quartet, which had relocated to the corner of the tent, began a melody so that the newest Weasley couple could have their first dance as man and wife. They actually moved about quite smoothly, Ron having finally outgrown his awkward gangly adolescence. After a while, Mr. Weasley announced that the bridal party should join the new couple in a dance. Hermione felt a touch on her arm and knew without even turning that it was Draco. She let him pull her onto the dance floor to take her in his arms as she saw first the Potters then Neville and Dahlia do the same. They moved in silence aware that everyone's eyes were on the four couples; Hermione refused to look higher than her partner's chest. After a few minutes of feeling like they were in a fishbowl, Mr. Weasley freed them by declaring that everyone was welcome to join in the dancing. The guests quickly flowed onto the dance floor.

"Hermione," she heard Draco say. "Will you look at me now?"

The witch turned her face towards him to see the same emotions on his that she had read during the wedding ceremony. Her heart contracted at the feelings that were rushing through her at this moment. She took an unsteady breath to calm herself.

"I want to talk to you," he told her in a low voice that was filled with anticipation. "Will you come with me?"

"Can we finish the dance first?" she asked wanting to stall being alone with him. _I'm just too emotional today. I don't know if I can do this again tonight._

Draco nodded seeming to understand her reluctance to go with him and was willing to give her a little time. He had so much to say to her, and he wanted to do it right this time.

"You're a good dancer, Hermione," he said trying to put her at ease. She just looked at him with a strange expression on her face. "What's wrong? What did I say?" he asked wanting to wipe that look off her face.

"Do you know this is our first dance?" she answered softly. "I used to watch you dance at school. I've always wondered what it would be like."

_Merlin, she's right, _he thought feeling a flash of regret. They had never gotten the chance during that disastrous Valentine's Day Ball in sixth year and despite all the dances that they had planned together as Heads, they hadn't been able to be friendly in public, let alone dance together. He mentally kicked himself as he realized that it was just one more thing that he had cheated her out of.

He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "Then let's make it one to remember." He smiled at her getting a mischievous look in his eyes. Taking control, he took full advantage of the years of dance lessons that all the males in his family's social tier were forced to endure. He expertly guided her around the room for the last part of the dance taking her breath away. By the time the musical piece reached it's conclusion, he had actually forced a peal of laughter from her when he dipped her.

He saw that people were watching them, but he and Hermione had been too lost in each other during their dance notice. His fellow coven members were smiling at them. The Order members and Hogwarts friends had curious, if slightly puzzled looks on their faces. Only some of the aurors from work were giving them odd looks since they knew he was married, but not much else about his relationships. Hermione blushed at the attention they were receiving, but Draco pasted on a casual look and waved as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on.

He led Hermione in the direction of the bar as if they were going to get drinks after their exertions on the dance floor. However, once everyone's attention had moved on, he quickly tugged the witch with him outside of the tent. There were knots of people around the area where the ceremony had taken place.

"Blast it," he muttered. "I want to talk to you in private, Hermione, but I don't know where to go."

"Let's go inside and check on Emmie," she suggested.

She brought him into the Burrow and up the stairs. She found Fleur asleep in the twins' old room with Victoire curled up next to her. The Veela opened her eyes when Hermione peeked into the room.

"Emmie iz een Percy's room," she said still half drowsy. Hermione nodded and closed the door on the two. She led Draco across the hall to Percy's room. Draco cast locking and silencing spells as soon as they were inside. Emmie was sleeping peacefully in a crib that Fleur must have _transfigured_ from the desk that was usually in that spot. She stirred, but didn't awaken when Hermione tucked a blanket more securely around her.

Draco drew her over to the bed and sat her down next to him. He turned to her and said, "I'm sorry I haven't been around much this week. I've been busy trying to make arrangements for us."

"What arrangements, Draco? Is this something else like the accounts for Emmie? I know you want to do things for her, but she doesn't need any more money. She loves you for you and that should be enough."

"It's not like that," he told her earnestly. "I don't want her known as a bastard. I want to legally claim her as my daughter. I want to legitimize her and give her my name."

"You would do that?" she asked. She was amazed that Draco would be willing to go public and face the censure of his father.

"Yes. I checked it out with my lawyers. I would have to recognize her formally and I could adopt her at the Ministry. Her being my natural daughter is reason enough for them to automatically approve it."

"What?" Hermione said jumping up. "You can't have her. I'm not going to give you custody of Emmie! How could you even think that." She was instantly furious at his plans.

"No, Hermione," he said standing up also and grabbing her by the shoulders. He was shocked that she would accuse him of that. "It's not like that. I would never try to take her away from you. I'm trying to tell you that I want both of you to be with me."

"I don't understand, Draco. You're still married to Daphne," Hermione reminded him.

"Not for long," he said. "I told her I wanted a divorce and custody of our son. I had my lawyers look into that also. They said there shouldn't be any problems since we didn't use wizarding bonds. It's just a paper marriage."

Now it was Hermione's turn to look shocked. "You did? What's changed?" she asked him coincidentally using the same question that Daphne had used last week.

"When I talked to Mother last week, she asked me what would make me happy. All I could think about was you and Emmie," he told her. "Harry and Ron also said some stuff to me."

Her heart had softened when she heard that all he wanted was Emmie and her. However, she was still worried about what Lucius might have done when he found out. "What about your father? I'm sure he must be in a rage!"

"Don't worry about him at all. It's been taken care of," Draco assured her pulling her close.

"What do you mean? What did he say when you told him? Is he going to disown you?" she asked. Hermione was suddenly excited that Draco had stood up to Lucius. She felt something in her chest relax. She had waited for so long for him to be courageous enough to risk something for her. _He finally chose me! "_If he does, I have the money from my books. We'll be fine," she told him with in a determined voice.

"Actually, he doesn't know yet," Draco explained as he smiled at her words. "Don't worry, though. My mother told him that she would leave him if he ever hurts you or Emmie. He won't do anything that might cause her to do that."

Hermione felt her elation suddenly subside. She realized with a sinking heart that Draco hadn't actually risking anything. He had his mother's approval and _she _was blackmailing his father into cooperating. Draco had not even bothered to talk to him. She felt like he wasn't really choosing her. He was ready to be with them now because it was easy. Everything was being handed to him on a silver platter. She stepped back from him and just looked at him.

She knew that Draco adored their daughter. His love for Emmie was not a lie. Hermione would not stand in the way of him claiming Emmie if that was what he really intended to do. As long as Draco wasn't attempting to take her daughter away from her, she would fully support their relationship. He had been completely honest in his dealings with her about Emmie and had always tried to adhere to her wishes. He would never hurt or deny their child.

However, the brown eyed witch didn't know if she could trust him to do the same for herself. _Do I love him? Yes. Does he love me? I don't know._ She tried to see their relationship clearly. Throughout their interactions, Draco had always claimed to love her when it was easy for him. The physical chemistry between them was so intense. They had great secret romances but whenever there was any type of opposition, he folded. _Why do you want to be with me now? Do you love me for me or is it because it's convenient for you to be with me now?_

She thought of Marcus Flint briefly. They had only been reintroduced to each other barely three weeks ago. He was from exactly the same type of background as Draco, yet he had already proved to her that he didn't care about blood status. He had proudly taken her out in public and unashamedly shown his interest in her. He also was sweet to Emmie and was willing to include her in their activities. Tomorrow's planned date was proof of that. She didn't love him. It was too soon for that and her emotions about Draco were too tangled. However, she did respect Marcus and was attracted to him. Sadly, she realized that she didn't know if she respected the wizard in front of her, at least when it came to his dealings with her. If she took him like this, she would always wonder if he really would choose her above all others.

All these conflicting thoughts had gone through her mind in a matter of mere seconds. She looked at Draco's smiling face and asked him carefully, "Are you going to tell Lucius?"

"That's the beauty of the whole thing! I don't even have to bother and he won't do anything," Draco answered happily, not realizing that was exactly the opposite of what she wanted to hear. "Everything is finally falling into place and we can be together now."

He tried to take her into his arms, but Hermione backed away from him. She felt suddenly cold inside. All her good feelings from earlier had completely disappeared. Her face must have shown the change because he asked, "What is it? I thought you'd be happy that all our problems are behind us."

"Draco, do you love me?" she asked him wanting to believe him.

"Of course I do. I missed you the entire time you were gone. We have a daughter together. I practically want to rip your clothes off every time I see you," he told her.

"But would you have chosen to be with me if your parents hadn't seen Emmie in Diagon Alley? If your mother hadn't given Lucius that ultimatum?"

He didn't know quite what to say to that so he asked her instead, "Why are you being like this? I thought it's what you've wanted for so long."

"I've always loved you, Draco," she answered him slowly, "but I want you to want me because you can't live without me...because you love me enough no matter what."

"I do love you, Hermione," he exclaimed.

"I'm not so sure of that," she said to his dismay. "You never once tried to see me when I was in the States. I've been back home for months and you never planned on leaving Daphne or defying your father until this happened. I don't think you ever would have if your Mum hadn't stepped in. You only love me when it's easy, and life isn't always easy. Can I trust you not to leave me again if things became difficult? I want you to love me no matter what hardships we face."

"But where does that leave us now?" Draco asked her as his plans seemed to be crumbling around him.

"I don't know yet," she said honestly. "I have to think about it. I do know you're going to have to convince me that you want _me, _and not just because I happen to be Emmie's mum. Otherwise I'll never be sure that you value me or our relationship. I won't stop you from legitimizing Emmie; you've earned that."

Hermione's brown eyes gazed into Draco's silver ones resolutely. "You haven't earned me."


	37. To Save You

**Chapter 37 To Save You**

_Last Chapter: "But where does that leave us now?" Draco asked her as his plans seemed to be crumbling around him. "I don't know yet," she said honestly. "I have to think about it. I do know you're going to have to convince me that you want me, and not just because I happen to be Emmie's mum and now it's convenient to acknowledge me. Otherwise I'd never feel that you value me or our relationship. I won't stop you from legitimizing Emmie, you've earned that." Hermione's brown eyes gazed into Draco's silver ones resolutely. "You haven't earned me."_

"Lunch was wonderful, Marcus," Hermione told the dark haired wizard. They were sitting in the living room of his flat, which was located on a side street not far from the Ministry of Magic. It was comfortable and not at all ostentatious, though it clearly was the home of a bachelor. Hermione liked it immensely as it seemed just like Marcus: straightforward and manly.

Marcus, Hermione and Emmie were having quiet moment after their meal. Their next plan was to take Emmie to a park and then have some desert at a cafe afterward if she wasn't too tired. The little girl was sitting on the floor where Marcus had placed her when he carried her in from the kitchen. She was happily playing with some toys that he had thoughtfully provided for her. Marcus had nervously explained that he didn't want her to be bored when she came over with her mother. He had added. while looking seriously into Hermione's eyes, that he hoped it would be a common occurrence.

The two adults were sitting on the couch quite content with the present situation. They were in no rush to head out and were chatting cozily while keeping an eye on the little girl. It was almost a picture perfect domestic scene.

"I'm so glad that you came over today, Hermione," Marcus told her. "I really enjoy spending time with you."

The witch next to him replied, "I'm really glad we came. It was sweet of you to make us lunch and buy those toys for Emmie."

"It wasn't a problem. She's such a great little kid. I don't have much experience being around anyone that young, but it's much easier than I thought to keep her amused," he said with an amazed look on his face. Hermione smiled at his enthusiasm.

They watched the small girl bang a chubby toy wand on a magic box that produced a bubble every time it was tapped. Emmie laughed cheerfully whenever one appeared for her to pop with the stick in her hand.

"Well you certainly made her day. You picked some definite winners," Hermione commented. She turned to look at him and realized that his face was now only centimeters from hers.

Marcus reached out one large hand and gently placed it on her cheek. The both flicked a quick glance at the blond child. When they saw that she was engrossed in her toys completely ignoring them, Marcus gently leaned in and pressed his lips against Hermione's smiling mouth. The kiss wasn't long or deep, but it held a sweet promise that could grow into something more if it was allowed to bloom.

The wizard pulled back and told her, " You are an absolutely fantastic woman Hermione Granger. I'd like to see you exclusively if that's all right. I know this is fast, but I'm really beginning to fall for you." At her stunned expression he continued, "I seriously think this could go somewhere. "

"Oh Marcus, I don't know what to say. I wasn't expecting this," she said softly. "I like you very much also, but things are a little complicated right now." She shrugged a little helplessly as she thought about Draco and yesterday's conversation.

"I don't want to push you or rush you into anything," he said, then plunged on bravely. "Is it because of Emmie? I know you're a package deal. I really like her and I think she even likes me too. I'd always try to be good to her."

"I can tell she likes you already," Hermione told him with a smile, "but her father just told me yesterday that he wants to officially recognize her. He's also interested in a reconciliation with me."

Marcus took both of her hands in his and looked at her solemnly. He asked, "Is that what you want? Do you want to be with him? I'll step aside if that's what you need me to do, but I don't think that you're indifferent to me."

Hermione looked at him apologetically and said, "I do like you very much, but I don't know what's going to happen with him yet. To be truthful, I still have have some unresolved feelings for him. It's not fair for me to commit to you until I've figured out where I stand with him."

"Can I ask you something? Is Draco Emmie's father?" he said hesitantly. "She really does look like a Malfoy and because of her age, I figured that you must have been pregnant with her during your seventh year. It's...oh, never mind, it's none of my business." He looked away from Hermione at the little girl in question. She happily waved at him with her wand.

"No, it's all right, Marcus. We're trying to be honest here and she really does look like him. Yes, Draco is her father. We had such a terrible history; you were there for part of it. We couldn't tell anyone when we started seeing each other secretly while we were both Heads. It's a long story." Hermione just shook her head not able to explain it better.

"Did you know that Draco and I are friends?" he said. When Hermione looked up at him startled he continued, "No, he never told me about you. We haven't actually gotten together in a few weeks, but we met up again at the Ministry last year. We're friendly there and get together for lunch every now and then."

"I had no idea," she said faintly, wondering if things could be any stranger. Both Marcus and Draco wanted to have a relationship with her and now she finds out that they're friends.

"I know he's married, Hermione. I would offer you better than that," he told her earnestly. "You're worth more than what Draco can give you."

Hermione was floored by what he was saying; this conversation was completely surreal. Every word that was coming out of Marcus' mouth was exactly what Hermione had been hoping to hear from Draco. The contrast between their actions was very evident to her.

"He's divorcing Daphne," Hermione told him and he let out a soft exhalation of amazement.

"He must be serious. Purebloods almost never get divorced," Marcus admitted. "I think Draco is a pretty good guy, but I know he's got a lot of baggage that he's carrying around. I know you have things to figure out with him, but to be honest I still think you and I can have something really great together." He reached up to smooth a strand of her hair out of her face. "Normally, I wouldn't go after a friend's girl, but you're not really together. I won't ask for exclusivity yet, but I want to be with you. Just give me a chance to give him some competition. You know I don't care that you're muggleborn."

She stared at him incredulously after he said that last sentence. "How did you know?" she asked him.

"What else could it be?" he said as he looked at her with a keen understanding. "You forgot that I was raised in the same circles that he was. You're powerful, intelligent, loving, and sexy as hell. Any wizard would want you...except those raised to believe that blood purity was more important than anything else."

Marcus released her hands and gathered her into a hug. He didn't say anything else but just held her close for a little while. When he pulled back a bit to look into her brown eyes, she saw that his eyes held compassion and caring. Smiling gently at her, he dipped his head and gave her another slow sweet kiss.

The doorbell ringing interrupted the intimate moment.

"Just give me a chance," he repeated, cupping her cheek again. When she looked at him in consideration and gave a small nod, his face broke into a huge smile. "Let me just see who that is, then we'll take this little girl for some ice cream," he said jubilantly.

Marcus took his hand off of her cheek and leaned forward to ruffle Emmie's hair. Then he got up and walked through the doorway towards the entryway. Emmie had heard the magic words "ice cream" and followed the wizard into the hallway babbling to herself. Hermione sat where she was and thought about what had just happened. _Marcus understood everything. I would be stupid not to give him a chance. He really is a good man._

Hermione heard the door open and the rumble of a strange voice. Then Marcus' voice said in surprise, "Of course I remember you, but what are you doing here? It's been years since-"

"_Sectumsempra," _the other voice yelled.

Marcus gave a strangled cry of pain. Hermione jumped up and drew her wand, heading across the room towards the doorway. "Emmie!" she cried frantically.

Marcus suddenly staggered in through the living room doorway. He had Emmie under his left arm as if he'd just scooped her up as quickly as he could. She was crying pitifully. His other arm was clutching his middle. His khaki shirt was soaked with blood from the deep slices that ran diagonally across his torso. She could see his intestines glistening through his hand.

"Run, Hermione," he said falling to his knees and pushing Emmie towards her. His ashen face was filled with pain and suffering. He could barely keep to his knees.

"Oh God, Marcus," she cried out in horror as a figure stepped into the living room behind him. "_Petrificus Totalus-Incarcerous_," she _spellsang_ drawing the forms with her wand and pointing at the man who had come in. Her quick mind still worked perfectly, even if her magic was weak. She staggered as the spells left her, but was relieved when the intruder fell over and was bound with ropes. Her head pounded from the expended blast of magic and her vision went gray for a moment.

A sudden increase in the volume of Emmie's cries snapped her back to her senses. She looked up to see that Marcus had fallen completely to the ground and was barely moving. A second wizard stood over him holding Emmie up with an arm around her chest. She was now pushing against the man straining to get away from him. Her cries were tinged with terror. He had his wand pushing against her side.

"Hello, Granger. It's been a long time," said Theodore Nott as if there wasn't a man dying at his feet. "I see you're still as fast as you used to be."

"Nott," demanded Hermione feeling nauseous, "let my daughter go."

"So this is the mysterious Emmie that Blaise heard you talking about," he said as he glanced at his fallen companion. Then he looked at the face of the child he was holding for the first time. Shocked recognition, then a cunning expression crossed his face as he took in her features. "Holy hell," he breathed. "This is Malfoy's brat. Shut up with that racket!" he said harshly, giving Emmie a hard shake. This only made her scream more hysterically.

"Please Nott! She's just a child. Don't hurt her," she pleaded. "Marcus needs a healer too."

"He'll keep. Give me your wand, Granger, and I'll let you hold the kid. Just shut her the hell up!" he ordered her.

Hermione didn't argue. Her wand was her only means of defense but that didn't matter. She had to get Emmie away from him. She walked closer to him and held her wand out. He snatched it and literally just dropped Emmie. Hermione scrambled to catch her before she hit the ground. She pulled the traumatized little girl against her chest tightly. Stepping backwards shakily, she checked Emmie quickly. She was relieved to see that the blood covering the toddler wasn't actually hers. _ Marcus! _She looked frantically at him but he wasn't moving at all.

"Shhh, baby. It's going to be all right," she told Emmie. The little girl was clutching Hermione's neck in a death grip and loudly wailing still. Her mother rocked her and the girl's cries finally lowered to gasping, hiccuppy sobs.

She heard a crack and looked up to see that Nott had broken her wand in two. He gave her an evil smile as he tossed the pieces to the ground. "Oh it'll be all right, but not for you. Blaise has been wanting to see you for a long time."

Hermione's head was still throbbing, but she forced her mind to think clearly. Her priority was to save Emmie. Nott was watching her too closely for her to do anything and he had his wand pointed directly at them. She was going to have to time things exactly. _Spellsinging_ just those two spells had weakened her considerably. She was struggling to keep herself together. _Concentrate damn it, for Emmie! _

Nott seemed satisfied that she was helpless for the moment. He pointed his wand away from her to magically remove the ropes and body bind from Zabini. As soon as he was free, he turned to Hermione with anger in his eyes.

"I'm going to hurt you, mudblood," Blaise said menacingly as he stepped towards her.

Hermione backed up with Emmie in her arms, trying to maneuver Zabini between her and Nott's wand. She waited until the moment Zabini was crossing in front of Nott blocking them from his view for a few crucial seconds. She acted without hesitation. Twisting her body, she shoved Emmie behind her and clearly said, "Baseball glove." The necklace with the griffin, heart, and dragon pendants glowed for a couple of seconds around Emmie's neck.

Zabini cleared Nott's line of sight. The latter recognized the glow and yelled, "No!" He lunged forward.

It was too late. The necklace flashed and the little girl disappeared as the activated portkey carried her away. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Her baby was safe. She let the weariness from casting the earlier spells wash over her. She swayed a bit and didn't have the energy to evade Zabini any longer.

"What did you do?" Nott screamed at her. Zabini had reached her at this point. He grabbed her arms in a bruising grip and pulled her up against him when she stumbled. He dragged her back over to the other man and held her facing Nott.

"Where did she go?" Theodore demanded.

"You'll never get her now," she told him. Nott narrowed his eyes at her and hit her across the face. Her head snapped back hitting Blaise's chest, since she couldn't dodge the blow with him holding her in place. Her head swam sickeningly.

"Fucking bitch," Nott spat. "We still have you. You'd better pray that Malfoy comes for you."

Hermione looked at Marcus and couldn't tell if he was still alive. "Please, Marcus needs a healer," she begged.

"Too bad. You'd better worry about yourself instead of him," he answered coldly. He went to the door, opened it cautiously and looked into the hallway.

Zabini took that opportunity to run his hand lewdly down the front of Hermione's body. When she tried to pull away from him, he smacked her viciously and grabbed her jaw in a punishing grip. She cried out in pain.

"Save that for later, Blaise. Let's go. Bring the mudblood."

They stepped into the hall to clear the wards that had proved useless in protecting the occupants of the flat. In an instant, the two wizards had _apparated_ themselves and their captive to their destination. Hermione had only a moment to see her surroundings before a spell hit her and she lost consciousness. The entire attack hadn't even taken a quarter of an hour.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Severus Snape was heading back to his quarters from lunch in the Great Hall. He was looking forward to reading a new book that had arrived for him yesterday while he was at the Weasley wedding. He had been too tired to start it last night and planned on spending a quiet afternoon with a good glass of firewhiskey and his new tome. He walked into his quarters and his heart almost stopped when he saw the small blood covered body laying on the floor of his study. Her eyes were closed and she seemed too still.

"Emmie," he cried rushing over to pick up the child. He was relieved when her eyes opened and she immediately started crying. Her blue jumper was stained in blood all along the right side, arm, and back. That side of her face also had dried smears of the stuff on it and her fair hair was matted from blood around her right ear. He cast a quick diagnostic spell which showed that she was uninjured. However, his worry wasn't alleviated because that much blood had to have come from someone, and he realized that the most likely person was Emmie's mother.

He knew that Hermione must have activated Emmie's emergency portkey. They were the only two that knew what it really was. She had taken the idea from the portkeys that had been used on the captured Deatheaters during the final battle. She had approached Severus for help, when she knew her spell casting abilities were still too unreliable for her to make the transportation device by herself. He had turned the bracelet Hermione had given him into a necklace for Emmie. Then he had charmed it into a portkey that could be activated with the phrase that she had chosen.

He cradled Emmie closer and quickly went to the Floo. First he called Minerva's office, telling her that there was an emergency and she needed to come immediately. The Headmistress gasped when she stepped from his fireplace and saw the crying blood covered child in his arms.

"She's fine, Minerva, just scared and a little shocked. Something must have happened to Hermione. I'm going to take her to Draco. Follow me through," he told her tersely. He grabbed more Floo powder and said, "Malfoy Manor."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry was in the living room at Grimmauld Place looking over some papers that he had to bring in to work the next day. Ginny was in the kitchen putting together something for them to eat for lunch. Harry suddenly got the feeling that something was very very wrong. He felt a feeling of horror that he just knew wasn't his own. Pain flared in his head, but it wasn't from his scar. That hadn't pained him since Voldemort had died. He heard a loud crash from the kitchen and went running towards the sound.

"Gin," he called as he entered the room. "Are you all right?"

Ginny was doubled over by the table with one hand gripping the back of a chair for support. The other one was covering her mouth. Her eyes were wide with distress. On the floor was a tray, broken plates, assorted cutlery and spilled food. The mess was the obvious source of the noise he had heard. She slowly straightened up when the horrible feelings faded away. Though she couldn't get them out of her mind.

"Did you feel that?" she asked anxiously. "What was it?"

"Not what, Gin, who," he said grimly. "Someone in the coven is feeling this. We have to find the others."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Neville was with Dahlia in the conservatory of his mansion. He was painstakingly transplanting some of his beloved plants into new containers. She walked to the other side of the room to gather a couple more empty pots for him to fill. When she turned back, she was startled to see that her fiancé was staring off into space with a look of apprehension on his face. His body was rigid and his eyes had a pinched look as if he were experiencing something quite painful. He snapped out of it fairly quickly, but still maintained an anxious expression.

"What is it, Nev?" she asked him in concern.

"I'm not sure," he answered in a worried voice. "Something is wrong with the coven. I have to find out what it is."

"Go sweetheart," she told him. "I'll tell your grandmother that you were called away."

He looked at her gratefully as they went into the main part of the house together. Dahlia had been totally supportive when he had originally told her about the coven bond, but she hadn't felt the need to join. She had said that while she liked his friends very much, she only wanted to be tied that tightly to him. He gave her a quick kiss before flooing to Grimmauld Place.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Ron and Luna were still in bed in the their tower house near Ottery St. Catchpole since it was only the day after their wedding. They were between bouts of lovemaking and were just cuddling together. They weren't going to be taking a wedding trip until a later date as Luna still had the university term to finish. They really didn't mind though, since having a place to themselves was enough of a treat.

Unexpectedly a feeling of dread washed through Ron followed by a sharp flash of pain behind his eyes. He shook his head to clear it, not quite understanding what he was feeling. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was happening. He looked at his new wife and saw that she had put her hands on the sides of her face and was pressing her fingers against her temples. Luna had tears running down her cheeks and was looking at him with a look of distress.

"One of the others is in trouble," she whispered to him. He understood immediately that she was speaking of the coven.

They both got out of bed and started dressing hastily. The pain had disappeared but left behind a feeling of anxiousness that couldn't be ignored. Now that they knew something was wrong with one of their own, they were compelled to find out what was happening.

~*~*~*~*~*~

_Merlin, the pain! _Marcus had never felt anything even close to this level of torment. He could barely think past the agony coursing through his body. He was fading in and out of consciousness, but there was something important that he was trying to remember. He tried to stay awake.

"Please, Marcus needs a healer," he heard a feminine voice pleading.

"Too bad. You'd better worry about yourself instead of him," answered someone else.

_It hurts so much._ He heard the sound of a blow and heard a woman cry out. _That's Hermione! Oh Merlin, don't let them hurt her too. _He tried to get up to do something, but his body wouldn't respond to his commands.

"Save that for later, Blaise. Let's go."

Hearing the name, Marcus remembered what had happened. He had been surprised to see the ex-Slytherin at his door, but not alarmed. Though they hadn't kept in touch after Zabini was expelled, he had not expected to be attacked in his home by his old school mate.

"Bring the mudblood."

_No. Don't take Hermione. _He tried to protest, but all that came out was a weak moan. By the time Marcus forced his eyes open, there was no one left in the room with him.

_They're gone. He took her. No one will know who has her, _he thought in anguish.

The effort it took to move caused excruciating pain to shoot through his entire being. Marcus concentrated on dragging his arm away from his body. That little movement caused him to groan in anguish. Every bit of his will was focused on leaving his message. _I have to help her._ He used the last of his strength to write the name of his killer and Hermione's kidnapper in his own blood on the floor.

_Zabini_

His task completed, Marcus closed his eyes and finally allowed himself to rest. The last thing he saw in his mind before the darkness took him was her face smiling at him. _Hermione._


	38. I Would Die For You

**Chapter 38 I Would Die For You**

_Last Chapter: I have to help her. He used the last of his strength to write the name of his killer and Hermione's kidnapper in his own blood on the floor. Zabini His task completed, Marcus closed his eyes and finally allowed himself to rest. The last thing he saw in his mind before the darkness took him, was her face smiling at him. Hermione._

Draco was in a foul mood today. Last night's conversation with Hermione kept running through his head and he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. He had thought that everything was going to finally be the way it was supposed to be with them. The way was clear for them to be together or so he had assumed. He had never imagined that she wouldn't jump at the chance. _She doesn't believe in me any more._ Her words kept reverberating in his head. _You only love me when it's easy, and life isn't always easy. Can I trust you not to leave me again if things became difficult? I want you to love me no matter what hardships we face. _

_Is that really true?_ He had spent most of the night and this morning pondering her words and what they implied. He tried to see their relationship from her perspective. He thought about what she had experienced and how she must have construed his actions. Being truthful with himself was difficult; he was too used to avoiding blame. However, he had to admit that she had been right again. He had not done _anything_ since she had come home to show her that he did truly want to be with her. She had always supported him and he had let her down again.

He contemplated what he should do because he was determined to have her. He was going to show her that he did love her. His Slytherin mind began to come up with plans. He was going to woo her with all the romance that she had never gotten from him. The dance yesterday had made him see that he had never done any of the things for her that he would have normally done for a witch that he was interested in. She deserved candle lit dinners, flowers and sweet nothings. Though she wasn't one who was interested in money and fancy gifts, he would get her books and simple things that she would like...

_Fuck. What am I thinking?_ _I'm doing it again. I'm still lying to myself! _He knew in his heart that Hermione wouldn't be swayed by any of those tactics. He _knew _what she wanted from him. She wanted him to fight for her, to prove that he valued her. She wanted him to show her that he was willing to risk losing something, anything, for her. He had never had to give up anything for her love and she did not believe that he would ever be willing to take a risk. At the very least, she wanted him to stand up to his father and tell him that being with her was important.

Without his realizing it, his feet had carried him to his father's study. He stared at the door for a good five minutes before making the decision to talk to Lucius. He knocked on the door and entered at his father's bidding. Lucius was sitting at his desk dealing with some correspondence. Draco looked at the man who had influenced his decisions and controlled his actions for most of his life.

"Father? I need to talk to you."

"What is it, Draco?" Lucius said putting down his quill and giving his son his full attention.

"It's about Hermione."

"There is nothing to discuss. I don't have anything to say about her," Lucius said closing the subject. He picked up his quill and was going to begin writing again, but Draco stalked over to the desk and snatched it from his father's hand. He threw it across room where it hit an accent chair leaving a smear of ink.

"Why won't you ever listen to me?" Draco demanded. "Whenever I have something important that you don't want to hear about, you dismiss me like a child. I'm a man now, damn it. I have the fucking scars from the war to prove it."

Lucius lifted his eyebrow and sat back in his chair resting his elbows on its arms and steepling his fingers together. His upper class accent was very pronounced when he drawled, "I assume you're done with your little tantrum, Draco? If you are, have a seat and I'll listen. Say what you need to say."

Draco threw himself ungracefully into one of the chairs facing his father. He ran one hand through his hair and said without preamble, "I know mother told you that I plan to recognize my daughter." At his father's curt nod he continued, "Yesterday, I told Hermione that I intended to divorce Daphne and wanted to marry her when it was final."

Lucius' face froze. His eyes darkened in anger, but he said in an emotionless voice, "So now you've informed me. When will these events take place?"

"They won't yet. She turned me down!"

The older wizard looked at him askance and answered, "I find that hard to believe. Why would _she _turn down a Malfoy?"

"Merlin, don't use that fucking condescending tone when talking about her. That's why. She thinks that I'll never take her side and defend her against people like you. She's been right up until now, but not any more. I'm going to be with her and I don't care what you say about it!"

"If you do this, you'll no longer be my son," Lucius threatened. "I'll cut you off without a cent."

"She suspected that would be your reaction if you knew. She said she'd support us with the money from her books. She never cared about my inheritance." Draco smiled to himself at the memory of her determination. He looked at his father and the smile faded, "Why are you so set against her? I know she's a muggleborn, but you don't even know her."

"I don't need to know her! Am I supposed to be filled with joy that you want to dilute the Malfoy bloodlines that have been kept pure for all these generations? Muggles are like locusts taking over the entire world and destroying our way of life. You are throwing away our heritage on one of them," he declared.

"Open your eyes! That attitude should have ended with Voldemort. We fought a war so blood status wouldn't mean so much." Draco said quoting Hermione's words from so long ago. "Hermione is smarter and more powerful than _any_ pureblood witch I've ever come across. You've seen her fight. That has to count for something."

Lucius couldn't deny the truth of his words, but still stubbornly insisted, "She isn't one of us and will never be. It's the way it has always been and the way it's supposed to be."

"Damn you. Nothing I say will change your mind. Will it?" Draco asked sadly. "I always used to look up to you. I did every single thing that you ever wanted hoping for your approval. I took in your prejudices and made them my own. You have no idea of the things that I did in school because I wanted to be just like you. The things I did to Hermione."

His father just looked at him and said, "At least you've already sired a proper heir with Daphne. Do what you want, just don't expec-"

Lucius broke off suddenly when his son's expression suddenly twisted. Draco tensed in his seat feeling a sense of overwhelming horror. He gripped the arms of his chair and closed his eyes looking inward. _Hermoine!_ He _knew _that it was her. He felt her magic flicker painfully through the bond. _I've got to find her! _

"Draco? What is it?" Lucius asked confused. He had never been told about the coven and didn't understand what was happening to Draco. He looked around for a threat and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Draco jumped up up and hurried out of the room ignoring his father's words. Lucius stood and followed after him demanding, "Where are you going? What are you doing?"

Draco paid no attention to his father's questions. He waved him off and went to the fireplace in the entryway. He threw some Floo powder into it and called for Hermione's house. He cursed loudly when he found her connection closed. He tried twice more with the same results. _Damn it!_ She always kept it open when she was home. Only the coven had unrestricted access. His anxiety increased.

He was going to floo Harry when the fireplace flashed with an incoming call. He was not remotely surprised when he saw the head of the very wizard that he had been about to contact. The worry that he was feeling was reflected on Harry's features.

"Draco, you're all right," the green eyed man said relieved that one more person was accounted for. "Did you feel it? Neville is here, but we haven't heard from the others."

"It's Hermione," Draco said shortly. His face was strained with anxiety. Harry nodded, not questioning how his friend knew. He assumed it was because the gray eyed man did have an extra connection to Hermione. "Do you know where she is, Harry?"

Harry quickly conferred with his wife, who told him that Hermione and Emmie had a lunch date with Flint at his apartment. He turned back to Draco in the Floo and said, "She's supposed to be at Marcus Flint's place."

Draco nodded, his concern for her overriding his initial jealousy. He ordered his bond mate anxiously, "Disconnect Harry. I'll go over to Marcus' home right now."

Harry disagreed immediately, "No. Wait for me. I'll come through and we'll go together." He looked over his shoulder and called, "Ginny. Nev. Find Ron and Luna. Meet us at the Manor."

Harry stepped through the fireplace and appeared in the foyer of Malfoy Manor. He gripped Draco's arm and they felt their bond strengthen at the contact calming them both a bit. Draco nodded at him gratefully and turned back to the Floo. He threw in a handful of powder and requested, "Marcus Flint's residence." The Floo indicated that the connection was closed.

"What is going on?" demanded Lucius, not knowing what the conversations and actions between the men meant. By this time, Narcissa had come into the entryway drawn by the commotion. She added her own quieter query. The two others ignored them both.

"Do you know where he lives?" Harry asked Draco. "You're friends."

Draco shook his head while saying, "I've never been there. We usually just hang out at the Ministry or grab stuff to eat at a restaurant."

"We'll call the office," Harry decided. "Whoever is on can look it up for us." He grabbed some powder from the container on the mantle, but again the Floo flashed before an outgoing call could be made. He hoped it was the rest of the coven coming through. It was someone else.

Severus Snape came out of the fireplace carrying a sobbing Emmie who was covered blood. Everyone stared for a second and then Narcissa screamed. Draco went to his old potions professor and pulled Emmie out of his arms. She clung to her favorite man while he soothed her and looked for the source of the blood.

"Unkie Dway, " she cried piteously to him still sobbing. "Mum mum."

"I know princess. We'll find her for you."

"It's not hers, Draco. I checked and physically she's fine," Snape assured his godson.

Draco held his daughter closer, rocking her and murmuring endearments to her softly. She stopped crying and leaned against him limply. His eyes sought Severus' thanking him for bringing her, but also begging for news of Hermione.

The fireplace activated again and Minerva McGonagall entered next. She went directly to Draco and Emmie. She put her hand on Emmie's back gently rubbing circles. Emmie turned her head to look at her tearfully. "Gwamma. Mum mum?"

"It'll be all right dear child," she said stroking her hair and back softly.

"What happened, Snape? Where's Hermione?" Harry demanded.

"I don't where Hermione is. I found Emmie in my quarters when I returned from lunch. The necklace she wore was a password activated portkey. Hermione was worried that someone might harm Emmie," he replied his eyes darting to Lucius and away. "She and I are the only ones who knew the activator, so she was the only one who could have sent Emmie."

Draco had seen the glance and a deep anger filled him. He very slowly unwrapped Emmie's arms from around his neck and carefully passed the exhausted child to Minerva. Before anyone knew what he was about, he had sprung across the hallway and shoved his father into the wall. His hands wrapped around the older wizard's neck and squeezed while banging Lucius' head against the wall.

"Did you do this? Where is she, you bastard? What did you do to Hermione?" Draco screamed at the man who had sired him.

It took both Harry and Snape to pull him off. Neville had suddenly appeared from the fireplace during the chaos. He jumped to help Harry bodily restrain Draco against the opposite wall. Ginny, Luna, and Ron came out of the fireplace in quick succession and instinctively crowded around the blond putting their hands on him, their touch visibly calming his rage.

Lucius had slid down the wall and was sitting on the floor dazed. No one gave him any sympathy. Narcissa stared at him and whispered, "How could you? You promised." He looked at her and shook his head in denial.

Seeing that the others in the coven had Draco under control, Harry again stepped up to the fireplace.

The auror quickly connected to Tonks' home. He told the Head of the Aurors, "Hermione is missing, probably injured. Can you get some teams together? I'll need you here at Malfoy Manor immediately with Marcus Flint's address." Glaring at Lucius Malfoy, he added, "Bring some _Veritaserum_."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Within fifteen minutes of the call, two teams of Aurors converged on Marcus Flint's flat. Three more teams surrounded the building strategically. Since they were in the wizarding world, there was no need for subtlety. Tonks had attempted to keep Draco off of the teams saying that he was too close to the situation.

"_Bugger that!" he had screamed at his cousin in front of Harry and Ron. "We're all too close to the situation. It's Hermione, for Merlin's sake! Take my badge if you want, but you can't stop me from searching for her." The last was said with the arrogance that was a trademark of the Malfoys as much as the color of their eyes and hair. _

_She was going to reprimand him sharply, but she saw the fear behind the words. Instead she told him calmly, "As your supervisor, I should tell you that I fucking will take it if you ever talk to me like that again. However, as your cousin and Hermione's friend I understand your need to act. I'll let you be a part of the team, but no more of these outbursts. If you can't act like a professional, then I'll put you under lock and key. That goes for all three of you. You can't help her if you don't have a clear head." She had glared at all of them and they had nodded._

Draco, Harry, and another auror, Connors, burst through the front door of Flint's flat. There was no response from inside. They swept through the entryway finding it empty, though there were smears of blood on the wooden floor and a spray mark on one wall. Harry and Connors ducked into the two bedrooms immediately off of the hallway on the right side. Ron was with two other aurors entering the apartment through the back entrance in the kitchen.

"Clear," Draco heard yelled from various rooms around the flat.

He turned left into the living room following the trail of blood in dread. He immediately saw Marcus laying on his side on the floor. Hermione was nowhere in sight. "Living room," he called rushing to crouch by the fallen man.

"Oh bugger, Marcus," he said as he realized that there was no help for his friend. "Who did this to you?"

The others ran into the room and skidded to a stop. At Draco's negative head shake, Harry said softly, "I'm sorry mate." He knew the blond had genuinely liked Flint despite the man's recent interest in Hermione. "Do you want me to look him over instead of you?"

"No," Draco replied. "I'll do it. He's ...was...oh crap." He shook his head again, this time at a loss for words. Harry put his hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Let me do it," he said. "You help Ron. Hermione still needs us and you might miss something in the state you're in."

Draco nodded in agreement seeing the wisdom of Harry's words. He stood and turned away as Harry shifted the body onto it's back. The two aurors from Ron's team went to start searching the rest of the flat for clues, while Connors left to notify Tonks and the outside teams of what they'd found.

"Fuck it all," Ron suddenly swore from a few feet away. He looked angry and scared at the same time. He was holding two short lengths of wood. Draco felt the blood drain away from his face as he recognized the pieces as Hermione's wand.

"Guys, come see this," Harry said from behind him. When they looked to him, he indicated the floor next to Flint's body. The wizard had lost so much blood that not all of it was completely dry yet. At first, Draco and Ron didn't know what they were supposed to be seeing.

Harry pointed to a particular area in the mess. When they realized what it said, Draco's silver eyes turned to ice.

"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch."

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione came back to consciousness slowly. She opened her eyes trying to make sense of where she was. She tried to move and immediately found out that she couldn't. She was laying on her back with her arms bound together and stretched above her head. They were attached to the headboard of the bed that she was on. Turning her head she thought that she might be in a basement if the dampness and concrete walls were an indication. Aside from the bed that she was on, a chair was the only other piece of furniture in the room. There were two doors leading from the room and no windows. The only source of light in the room was a mage light positioned on the ceiling in the middle of the room.

Her head still throbbed a bit as she took stock of her of her own condition. She realized with dawning horror that there was a soreness between her legs and a stickiness that should not have been there. Her neck and chest were also tender, as though they had been bruised. She looked down at herself seeing that her shirt was open and that her bra had been sliced in half so that each cup was hanging along the sides of her torso. Her chest and breasts did indeed have red splotches, teeth marks and scratches all over them. Her tights and panties were missing and her skirt was hiked up around her waist. From the condition of her body, she knew what must have happened. She thanked Merlin that she couldn't actually remember any of it.

The door opened and Theodore Nott strolled in and sat on the chair. He looked her body up and down assessing its condition before settling his gaze on her face. She looked at him with disgust. "Did you do this to me?" she asked him in a voice much scratchier than normal.

"No. I can't take credit for it, Granger. Blaise was a little impatient. He just couldn't wait for the spell to wear off. It's probably lucky for you, though. He's kind of a sick fuck when it comes to sex. No pun intended. He always was." She shuddered at the amusement in his voice.

"Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?" she asked him.

"Actually, I don't need anything from you. What could_ you _possibly have that I would want? It's Malfoy that I want dead. You're just the bait," he said scathingly.

"What? Why do you want to kill Draco. I thought you were good friends once."

"That was before he stole from me."

"Why would he steal from you?" she rasped out.

"After my father was unfairly sent to Azkaban, I lost our fortune. I was supposed to marry Daphne, but her father wouldn't honor the contract because I didn't have the bride price. She's been mine since we were fourteen! Then Draco swooped in and took her."

"Your father killed my parents because of what _your_ actions, you bastard."

He reached over and slapped her casually. "Watch your mouth when talking to your betters, Granger. That's why they had to die. What do a couple of muggles matter?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm a Nott. I'm not supposed to be begging for money, yet I'm reduced to living off of Blaise's charity when I'm twice the wizard he is. That's going to change soon, too."

Hermione looked at him without speaking. Nott had a fanatical light in his eyes. Clearly this was something that he had been thinking of for a long time. He wanted to tell her so that he could have someone to gloat over.

"I needed a way to kill Malfoy that everyone would accept. He's not one to accidentally poison himself or get into a street fight. He's too calculating for most of the scenarios that I thought of. When Daphne told me how much he wanted the child, I knew I could exploit that. We were going to us it to lure Draco here under my terms. No one would doubt that he'd go to rescue his heir," Nott said enthusiastically. He paused for a moment before adding in a disgruntled voice, "Then he had to tell her that he wants a divorce and full custody."

"But you want that. Now you can marry her," Hermione said not understanding.

"I want Daphne _and_ his money. If he divorces her and gets the babe, his fortune will be out of reach. Even if we kill him then, Lucius won't give the kid back to Daphne. Whoever has the money has the power," Nott told her. "Draco needs to die while they're still married, then Daphne will have control of the Malfoy heir and all the benefits that come with it. After an appropriate amount of time, it won't be questioned when she turns to an old school friend, me, for comfort. Then I'll have exactly what I deserve."

He looked at her contemplatively for a moment before continuing, "We had to our change plans and kill him before he can dissolve the marriage. Daphne says that he loves you enough to come for you. So we used you instead. We'll find out tonight if he thinks you're worth it. If you're not, we can always try for your bastard now that I know who she is."

Hermione didn't know how Daphne could know anything about Draco and her, but she let it pass. She was more concerned with the threat to Emmie. She told Nott, "You'll never get away with this. If you murder us, they'll never stop searching for you. Do you think the aurors or even Lucius Malfoy would do nothing?"

"That, my dear mudblood, is why the plan is sheer genius. They_ will_ find the kidnapper. Draco will come to the rescue, but alas, he'll be too late to save you. In the ensuing duel with your killer, he'll die too. Of course the killer will have been mortally wounded and won't survive either. It'll be a terrible tragedy, but once they find his body everything will be tied up quite nicely."

"Zabini," Hermione whispered understanding his plan. "You're going to kill him too, and place all the blame on him. I thought he was your partner." She had nothing but hatred for her rapist, but still couldn't believe the duplicity of Nott.

"He shouldn't be anything but my lackey." Nott said with disdain. "Everyone called him "the quiet Slytherin" at school and thought he was so deep. He didn't say much because he's psychotic. He was watching girls and picturing how he could torture them. I've seen him do it to some muggles."

"You're both disgusting," she answered earning another slap from him.

"You know, you don't have a bad body for a mudblood," Nott told her. "I suppose it would serve Draco right if I did have a go at you, since he's touched my woman," he contemplated with a dark look. He reached out to run one hand up her bare thigh. She tried to twist away from him, but he trapped her leg in a suddenly painful grip. "I don't think so, though; I wouldn't soil myself with you. Besides, I can do better than Blaise's sloppy seconds."

Hermione looked at him in repugnance. They heard footsteps approaching and Nott said one last thing to her, "I wonder how long you'll last. Blaise can be quite... inventive."

The door opened to reveal Zabini. He looked at Hermione with an unholy look of anticipation on his face. She cringed knowing she was helpless against him.

"Ah, Blaise, my friend," Nott greeted him. "Did you make a copy of that letter like I asked you to? Good work. Now we'll have Malfoy right where we want him. Everything will work out the way we planned."

"Zabini," Hermione cried. "Don't listen to him. He's just using yo-"

"_Silencio!_"

Hermione looked in horror at Theodore Nott as her voice stopped mid-word. He just gave her a bland look. He rose from his seat and made his way to the door. He smiled jovially at the other wizard and said, "Well, I'll let you get to your fun, Blaise. Leave the silencing spell on. We wouldn't want the neighbors getting curious." Giving Hermione one last appraising look, he walked out the door.

Zabini grinned at her in a predatory way. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her. He put one knee on the bed and announced, "I'm glad you're awake now, Granger. You weren't that much fun before. Now we can really play. _Crucio_."

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was already eight o'clock, but no one in the Manor was even thinking about sleep, except for Emmie who was already curled up in Luna's lap. Narcissa was sitting next to the two on a couch wringing her hands with worry. She had helped Luna clean up her granddaughter, but didn't know what to do now. They were all in the library, which had been turned into a control center of sorts. The others in the room were looking over the papers that Tonks had brought over about Blaise Zabini's life after he had left Hogwarts. There was only a pitiful amount of information.

Lucius was in his study avoiding everyone else in his home. Though his innocence in this particular matter had been proved with the Veritaserum that Tonks had administered, they had still been disgusted by the prejudiced words that he had spilled about Hermione and Emmie. If not for the promise that he had made to Narcissa, he had admitted that he would probably have found some way of getting rid of those he considered threats to the family. No one wanted to have anything to do with him right now.

Since mid-afternoon all of the coven members had been receiving flashes of pain indicating that magic was being used to hurt Hermione. She had explained weeks ago that the bond only passed along strong magical and emotional occurrences, not physical ones. They were also getting echoes of her feelings of terror and despair. They were all tense and edgy, but were unsure if it was just because of the situation or because their feelings were being magnified and reflected by the others.

Daphne looked at her watch and walked into the room. She ignored almost everyone, though she did throw a look of loathing at the sleeping girl. Luna noticed the glance. Her normally genial face glared at Daphne while she put her hand on her wand in warning. Daphne sniffed and turned away. She approached her husband where he was standing by himself a short distance from the others.

Draco looked and felt like hell. He had been going nearly insane imagining what was happening to Hermione. Every time he felt a flicker of her distress, he would flinch and his eyes would look shattered. He was haggard with worry and Daphne had never seen him with this much emotion on his face.

"I need to talk to you in my suite, Draco," she told him.

"Not now Daphne," he said distractedly. "There's too much going on."

"If you care about this baby, you'll come talk to me _right_ now," she said cleverly. She knew it was the one thing that would get his attention.

He looked at her stomach and his eyes filled with the soft look that appeared whenever he thought of his children. "All right, but make it quick," he said.

He followed her from the room and up the stairs. When they reached her private quarters Daphne closed the door and turned to him. She didn't say anything for a few minutes. The witch looked at her watch repeatedly and seemed to be waiting for something.

"What's this all about, Daphne?" Draco asked impatiently. "You haven't had a healer's visit since last week, so what do you want to tell me about the baby? Even you have to realize what's happening is too important for you to be wasting my time."

Instead of answering his questions, she responded with one of her own, "Do you really love Granger?"

"What?" he asked disconcerted, not expecting _that _from her. He looked at her face and saw that she had a strange look of satisfaction in her eyes. Things seemed to make more sense to him now. He grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "What do you know about this?" he snarled. "Where's Hermione?"

"Let me go or you'll never see her again."

Draco dropped his hands clenching them into fists. He demanded in a low voice, "Tell me what you know, you bitch!"

"Would you trade your life for hers?" she asked him looking intently at his face.

"What?" he exclaimed for the second time.

She looked at her watch again. "Decide now. I have a timeset portkey to where she is. It's going to leave in two minutes. If you're willing to give your life in place of hers, Zabini will _obliviate_ her and let her go. I'll tell you which item it is, if you give me your wand."

Draco looked wildly around the room. Daphne liked knick-knacks and there were small items on every available horizontal surface. There was no way he could tell which one of them was a portkey.

"I'll make you tell me where she is," he said stepping closer to her.

She smiled mockingly and cradled her belly. "No, you won't. Even if you could bring yourself to injure me while I'm carrying this child, it would do you no good. I don't know where they are." She looked at her watch again. "You have forty-five seconds. If it shows up without you, he'll kill her. Whose life will you choose?"

Draco knew he did not have enough time to alert anyone else in the house about this situation _and_ force Daphne to reveal the true portkey to him. If he surrendered his wand, he would have virtually no chance to defend himself against the enemy he was sure to find wherever he was transported to. He thought of Hermione and last night's conversation. He realized that he was not going to have to fight for her; he was going to have to die for her.

He chose. Without a word, Draco handed Daphne his wand.

"The fan on the coffee table."

He strode over to and grabbed it without hesitating. He looked at her one last time and said pleadingly, "The baby?"

She looked in triumph at the man she hoped to never see again and said, "Don't worry. I won't let any harm come to my child."

The portkey flashed and Draco disappeared. She used her own wand to transfigure his into a small wooden statue. Humming, she placed it among the other bits and pieces on a bookshelf flanking the fireplace. Picking up the letter that Theo had made Blaise write, she went downstairs to put on a performance for the rest of the people in the house.


	39. Found You

**Chapter 39 Found You**

_Last Chapter: The portkey flashed and Draco disappeared. She used her own wand to transfigure his into a small wooden statue. Humming, she placed it among the other bits and pieces on a bookshelf flanking the fireplace. Picking up the letter that Theo had made Blaise write, she went downstairs to put on a performance for the rest of the people in the house. _

Draco's nerves were jumping when he reappeared at the portkey's destination. However, his auror training automatically kicked in and he threw himself to one side putting his back against a wall. He crouched in a ready stance as he scanned the room for danger. He may have been wandless, but he was far from helpless. At first look, there didn't appear to be any threats present.

He took in his surroundings noting the two exits: one on the wall he was against and one on the wall to his right. There were no windows. A glowing mage globe fixed to the ceiling provided the only light. He assumed from the air quality that he was in a subterranean room. There was a bed and chair across the room from him. A shape was stretched out on the bed._ Hermione! _

He checked his impulse to run to the bed first, remembering Ron's words about auror protocol. _Always secure the room before checking the victim. _Remembering what happened last time he hadn't followed that rule, he chose not to ignore it now. He quickly checked the door next to him and saw that it led to a small windowless bathroom. He didn't see anything that he could use as a weapon. He quickly went to the other door deducing that it was the exit. It was locked and he couldn't tell if it was spelled without his wand. Having checked the room as thoroughly as possible, he turned to the occupant on the bed.

It was Hermione. _Sweet Merlin._ She was naked and tied face down on the bed. Her eyes were closed and she seemed to be unconscious, though she was breathing steadily. There were lash marks, bruises and bite marks covering the skin on her back, buttocks and legs. He swore quietly when he saw that she must have been raped as he could see that she had smears of blood around both of her openings. _Blaise Zabini is a dead man, _he thought savagely.

"Hermione, sweetheart, can you hear me?" he asked while untying her wrists and ankles. He gently took her into his arms trying to be careful of her injuries. Her front looked no better than her back. "Merlin, what did he do to you?" Draco whispered softly smoothing her hair off of her face. He didn't know what to do for her. He kept one eye on the door as he rocked her gently and spoke nonsense to her in the same way that he had soothed Emmie earlier at the Manor.

Hermione was dreaming. She could hear Draco talking to her in a quiet sweet voice. Her mind shied away from thinking of the things that Blaise had done to her and made her do during the past few hours. She had originally thought to fight him, but knew that she was in no position to succeed. Weak, injured, and immobilized as she was, she had few options for defiance. Instead she had tried to distance herself from what was happening to her body. _Endure,_ she told herself. _Survive._ _Live. They will come for me. _

_So she had. Hermione had endured and survived. She had known her coven members wouldn't stop until they found her. She had concentrated on their bond trying to send them the message where to find her. She had known that it didn't really work that way, but it had given her something to cling to, to hope for. Sometimes the pain had been too much and she had given in to the despair and terror that lurked on the edges her mind. However, thoughts of the coven and Emmie had always brought her back to herself. She had known they were doing everything possible to find her. When she had concentrated really hard, she had been able to feel their worry and determination._

She drifted a bit and heard Draco's voice again. _He is here._ She opened her eyes slowly to see that it wasn't a dream. He was here and he was holding her so gently. Her whole body hurt terribly, but she reached up in spite of the pain to lay her hand on his chest, drawing his attention to the fact that she was awake. His silver eyes met hers and she could see the love and anguish in them.

"Thank Merlin," he breathed.

"_Draco,_" she mouthed still under Nott's _Silencio_. His eyes widened and then narrowed.

"Did he put a silencing spell on you?"

She nodded and said without sound, "End it?" Her face stared hopefully at him.

He looked at her chagrined and shook his head. "Sorry, love, but I don't have my wand," he told her. At her crestfallen look he added, "Don't worry, I'll get you out of here. Can you stand up?"

She shrugged, not really sure if she could. Everything hurt so much. He carefully stood and tried to set her on her feet. Her legs collapsed under her and her face tightened in pain when he had to grab her to support her weight.

"Sorry," he said. Draco carefully placed her back on the bed and and stripped off his button down shirt leaving him in just a T-shirt. He sat down next to her had helped her into it, buttoning it all the way up. She gave him a small smile of thanks, grateful to not be naked anymore. She immediately felt less vulnerable. She leaned towards him and he held her close for a moment.

They heard footsteps coming towards the door. Draco said to her quickly, "No matter what happens, know that I love you, Hermione." He gently let her go and quickly stood up facing the entrance.

The Slytherin that walked into the room was not the one that Draco had been expecting.

"Theo? What the hell are you doing here? I thought it was Blaise," Draco said confused and incredulous.

_It was Theo all the time? How could we have been wrong? _Draco placed himself in front of the bed, putting himself between Hermione and the man he now thought was her torturer.

"Oh please, Draco. You know he doesn't have the intelligence to plan something like this," Nott remarked superciliously as he stepped into the room. "He'll make a good patsy though."

Draco completely misunderstood Nott, believing now that the man was just trying to frame Blaise for his own crimes. He made the mistake of assuming Nott was the lone villain. _I'm going to kill you for doing this to her. _

Nott motioned with his wand for Draco to take a seat on the side of the bed. When the blond man complied, Nott took his place standing in front of Draco just beyond arms reach. He held his wand ready. Draco glared at his one time friend.

"Why are you doing this?" Draco asked him.

"For Daphne of course," Nott retorted. "You poached. She's supposed to be mine. You knew that when we were in Hogwarts."

"Oh come on, Theo, be honest. You never loved her. You weren't even faithful to her back then," Draco reminded him as he remembered how the two had been at Hogwarts. It was similar to how Pansy and he had acted towards each other. "You know I just married her because it was arranged, not because of some grand passion."

"All right, fine," Nott smirked with a coldly amused look, "you got me. You always were too smart for your own good. It's simple, I want your money. It's what I need to take my proper place in society. Daphne and the kid she's carrying are just a convenient means of getting it. She's _always _been in love with me and I knew the moment I heard about your engagement that she'd do whatever I told her to do. Women are so gullible. A few words about love and they'll do anything."

Draco didn't need an explanation. He understood what Theo's plan was as soon as the dark haired man had mentioned the baby. _You won't get near my son, you fucker, _he thought clenching his hands into fists . He had known Theodore Nott since they were eleven. He was vain and insecure: a coward at heart that only followed through with plots when he thought he had the upper hand. Draco had never had a problem manipulating him as a schoolboy, so maybe he could talk his way out of this now. Draco purposely unclenched his hands and chose his words carefully.

"Very clever, Theo. You definitely came up with a smart plan. We didn't suspect you at all," Draco said making his voice sound impressed. _I am going to rip your head off._

The other wizard preened as his ego was stroked by the man he had always been jealous of when they were year mates. "I had a better plan for after the baby arrived," Theo boasted. "I had to improvise a bit when I found out you wanted to dump Daphne. This will work just as well, though, and I'll still have control of her and the kid." _Not while there's breath in my body, _thought Draco.

Nott seemed to be enjoying telling his plans to Draco. His face was eager and his eyes were brimming with self-satisfaction. He had never bested Draco before and was enjoying the unfamiliar feeling of victory. He was becoming careless and waving his wand around to emphasize his points. Draco watched him carefully.

"Once you're out of the way, I'll find a way to dispose of Lucius and Narcissa also. It shouldn't be too hard to come up with another plan," Theo mused. He was definitely feeling confident that nothing could stop him now.

Draco narrowed his eyes and gave Nott one more chance to redeem himself. "You've always been a man of your word, Theo," Draco said knowing it wasn't true, but it couldn't hurt to say it. "I came here unarmed liked you ordered. Now you can _Obliviate_ Hermione and send her back. You've got me and don't need her anymore." He felt Hermione put her hand on his back and could feel her confusion when he said that.

"Sorry, mate. No can do," Nott answered not sounding at all apologetic. "She needs to die to make this whole thing believable. In fact, since she's already served her purpose, there's no need to keep her around." He looked at her wide-eyed form on the bed and pointed his wand at her almost negligently. He started to cast the unforgivable, "Avada Keda-"

With a sudden roar, Draco used all of his considerable leg strength to launch himself at the standing wizard. Adrenalin rushed through him as he instinctively grabbed Nott's wrist and shoved it upwards. His mind had subconsciously remembered an auror lesson that had been drilled into him: _Disrupting the incantation or wand movements of a perpetrator can save your life._ This time it saved Hermione's.

"-vra."

The green light that spewed forth from the wand hit the ceiling and dissipated harmlessly. Draco used his momentum to shove the man into the wall. He pinned Nott there with his right forearm against the other wizard's throat. His left hand still held Nott's right wrist. Draco banged it against the wall, scraping his own knuckles, but trying to get Theo to drop the wand. The shorter man held on and struggled to point the wooden rod at Draco's head while attempting to gasp out a spell. Draco quickly released Nott's neck and punched him squarely in the throat. Nott choked unable to articulate a single word.

Draco put his forearm back against Nott's throat. He was filled with a white hot rage that this wizard had raped and tried to kill Hermione. That anger combined with her feelings of helplessness and pain that he had experienced through the bond all day made him push even harder. He braced his feet on the floor, leaned his weight against his arm and hissed, "You fucking piece of shit. Do you think I'd let you hurt her any more? Do you think I'd let you near my son? You always were a crappy strategist, Theo. Never discount someone just because you think they have less magic than you."

Theodore struggled but was unable to break the other man's hold. He tried with all his strength to dislodge the arm pressing against his neck. He had always depended on magic, believing that physical exertion was beneath a pureblood. Draco, on the other hand, was in peak physical condition from auror training and playing "games" with Ron and Harry most mornings. Theo didn't stand a chance. He couldn't seem to get any oxygen and dark splotches began to obscure his vision. He kicked and thrashed to no avail. Slowly his struggles became weaker and weaker until he dropped his wand. Eventually they stopped entirely.

Eyes dark, Draco stepped back as Theo's body fell to the floor. He didn't feel remorse about killing this wizard. As far as he was concerned, it was either him or them, and Draco definitely preferred it to be Hermione and he that survived this encounter.

Stooping, he retrieved Theo's wand from the ground. He ran to Hermione and tried to _side-apparate_ them away, but apparently there were wards in place to prevent that. _Damn, I need to get her to St. Mungo's._

Next he sent a Patronus message to Harry telling him to get the hell here, wherever here was. He knew that Harry would have to follow his Patronus back in order to find this place. It might take some time for them to get here depending on the location. Draco decided to carry her outside. They would wait for a little bit and then _apparate_ from there if the cavalry didn't show up quickly. He wanted to get his witch out of this room and as far away as soon as possible. He carefully scooped Hermione up, but she was frantically trying to tell him something. She was mouthing some words that he couldn't decipher. He quickly ended the s_ilencing charm._

"Zabini," she croaked.

"No, it was Nott all along."

"It's Zabini," she repeated urgently looking behind him at the doorway.

His reflexes were good, but the spell hit him as he was halfway turned. He had time to think, _Son of a bitch, it was Blaise too._ He dropped the witch in his arms when he fell to the floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~

""Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Ron yelled looking at her with dislike.

"Don't look at me. It's not my fault," Daphne answered with her own glare. "I just did what the note said. I'm not risking my baby for anything or anybody. You're lucky I even told you now. I almost didn't." _Take that, arsehole. When this is over, I'll be able to buy and sell your whole blood traitor family. _

She realized that the animosity between Draco and her wasn't a secret from his friends, so she knew better than to play the caring or jilted wife. Like all Slytherins, she understood the fundamental rule of telling lies. The most believable falsehoods are the ones that stick as close to the truth as possible.

She had given them the unsigned note, which threatened to kill her baby if she didn't secretly give Draco a portkey with a second note. She told them that Draco had read it and used the portkey. That's all she knew. Theo had come up with the story and had sent her the letter to support it. _Thank Merlin Theo was so smart. These buffoons will be running around in circles._

Daphne was in no mood to put up with any of their shit. She had been shocked and disgusted when she had seen Draco's halfblood bastard in her house. That she hadn't expected. _So he had been fucking the mudblood, if not now, then he had in the past._ It explained why Draco cared so much about her. _How pathetic. _Theo would take care of the little bitch later. Nothing would threaten her son's inheritance. _You have perfect blood my little prince, _she thought rubbing her belly lovingly.

"I'm going back upstairs. This atmosphere isn't good for the baby," Daphne declared. She flounced out of the room as if she hadn't just told everyone that her husband had disappeared without leaving a clue to his destination. They didn't stop her, knowing that she would provide no help willingly. They believed her when she said she only cared about her child and not Draco or Hermione.

"Fuck," said Ron. "He knows better than to go off by himself. What the hell do we do now?"

"Can we feel him through the bond?" Ginny asked. Everyone tried concentrating, but didn't seem to notice anything different. They still felt the anxiety and worry from the others, but no particular feelings from Draco. They hadn't felt any flashes from Hermione either for the past hour or so.

"I wish we knew more about how this works. Hermione's relatives are going to teach us more about the bond when they come for the holidays," Harry said taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "We should contact them now. They might be able to help."

"Harry," Luna cried excitedly suddenly realizing something. Though she was sometimes dreamy, she hadn't been put into Ravenclaw by mistake. "Remember the spell that showed our connections? The one we saw the day Hermione told us about the coven? You know how to cast it, Harry. It will point towards where Draco and Hermione are."

"My God," Harry breathed. "Why didn't we think of this before? We can _apparate_ to different points and triangulate their location. Luna, you're a genius." He was so excited that he grabbed her and gave her a friendly peck on the mouth. She smiled happily and clapped her hands. It was the first bit of good news they had all day.

Working quickly, Harry, Ron, Neville and Ginny _apparated_ to various parts of England together and took turns casting _Ostendo Sum Iunctio_ on one person at their various stops. They marked the direction of the two parallel lines that they knew pointed to Hermione and Draco on the charmed map that they had brought for just such a purpose. They ignored the other lines that clearly reached for those present and the individual one that undoubtedly pointed toward the Manor in Wiltshire, where Luna was.

She had chosen to remain there with Snape, McGonagall, and Tonks awaiting the results of the search. Ron used her pregnancy as a reason to ask her to stay back. Luna had agreed, though she told Ron that she had her own reasons. She didn't think her condition should bar her from the search and rescue mission, but she was reluctant to move from Emmie's side for one minute. She knew how her missing bond mate felt about the Malfoy family, and there was no way on this Earth that she was going to leave Hermione's daughter alone in this particular house. Narcissa may have some genuine feelings for Emmie, but Luna was not inclined to trust anyone with the Malfoy last name except for Draco.

At last, the Protean charmed disk that Tonks held flashed a message from the group. It named a small town in Derbyshire called Ashbourne. Tonks contacted her auror teams and gave orders for them to descend upon the town. They would be there in under twenty minutes.

Harry looked at his companions and at the yellow strands sprouting out of Ron's chest towards the town below. They had checked at various spots along the perimeter of the community and were certain that Hermione and Draco were in it somewhere. They just needed to figure out exactly where. They didn't think they could cast the spell within the confines of the town without being seen by the resident muggles. They had contacted Tonks and were waiting for back up to search the town.

Suddenly a glowing silver panther stalked up to Harry and looked at him. He stared back at the unfamiliar Patronus as a ghostly version of Draco's voice whispered, "Harry, I've got Hermione but she's hurt. Come quickly or we'll head to St. Mungo's. Follow my cat." Message delivered, the panther turned back the way it had come from. It stopped a few feet away to see if Harry was following.

Simultaneously, the four felt a wave of pain as one of their missing friends was hit with some kind of harmful magic. They had felt a couple of flashes earlier during the search. Since the sendings had felt distinctly different from what they had been receiving from Hermione, they had inferred that they were reflections of Draco's experiences. The current sending was of a strong pain and they could also feel Hermione's distress concurrently. This couldn't be good. They looked at each other.

"That one felt worst than the last one, but I think it's Draco being hurt this time," Neville said.

"Let's go," Harry ordered his friends following the panther. _Screw waiting for back up._

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Draco regained consciousness, he realized that he was upright and magically bound to the wall. Blaise Zabini was manhandling a struggling Hermione back toward the bed. He had three parallel scratches across one cheek. Since she was free, Hermione was not going to make it easy for him to take her again. Zabini threw her onto the bed hard and she cried out in pain as her wounded back hit the mattress. He used that distraction to pull out his wand and bind her to the bed again. He stood by the side of the bed and lovingly ran the stick down the side of her neck.

"Let her go, you fucking bastard," Draco yelled.

Blaise turned to his old friend and walked over to stare into his furious eyes. _He's fucking insane,_ the blond man thought as he saw the deranged expression in Zabini's eyes.

Zabini tilted his head to the side and said, "Hello Draco. You know, I've never had anyone except Theo watch when I've played with my toys. He never really got into it. I think this is going to be so much more fun since you actually care what happens to the mudblood."

"I'll kill you if you touch her," Draco threatened. He struggled to break away from the wall.

"Oh I don't think so," Blaise replied putting his wand right up against Draco's chest. "_Crucio._"

"Draco," screamed Hermione as the blond man writhed against the wall. He had no breath to scream and felt as if his chest were going to explode.

Blaise held the spell for a few moments longer, enjoying hearing Hermione's voice pleading with him to stop. It sounded so beautiful. He should have taken the silencing spell off of her before. He shook his head at Theo's body. _Stupid idea, Theo, the screams make it so much better._

When the curse ended, Draco took great gulps of air needing to breathe and trying to calm his racing heart. He glared with hatred at Zabini. "You fucking coward," he gasped out.

"That was lovely," the dark wizard said conversationally. "I don't usually bother with blokes, but look at the reaction I got from Granger when I did that. Let's try one more time." He put his wand against Draco's chest again and crooned, "Crucio."

The blond went rigid in his bonds this time as the pain coursed through his entire system. He could barely think through the torture. He could vaguely hear Hermione begging Blaise to leave him alone and the wizard giggling. Blaise kept the curse on him for what felt like forever.

When Zabini finally brought it to an end, he left an almost unconscious Draco sagging weakly in his bonds. He smiled to himself and went back to play with the witch on the bed. He gave Hermione a satisfied smile as he approached her.

"Fuck off, Zabini," Hermione said hoarsely. She was desperately trying to see if Draco was all right. Blaise ignored her words completely and climbed onto the bed to straddle her.

"You're not supposed to be wearing that," he chided as he frowned at the shirt that Draco had put on her. He put his wand down on the bed and grabbed both sides of the front of her shirt. He was about to rip it open, when a cold voice stopped him.

"Get your hands off of her you sick fucking bastard."

Blaise turned in shock to see Neville Longbottom, of all people, with his wand pointing straight at him. His normally pleasant face was hard and he exuded a tangible anger that was directed solely at the man in front of him. Ranged behind him with their wands drawn and equally livid expressions were Harry, Ginny, and Ron.

The mentally unbalanced wizard reached for his wand, only to be hit by four separate spells at once. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Harry contacted Tonks via the charmed disk and Blaise Zabini was efficiently trussed up and ready for the aurors that soon arrived with her. They took his wand and he was transported to Azkaban without delay.

Ginny had gone to Hermione's side to release her and begin healing some of her physical injuries. The apprentice healer told her coven members that she wanted to transport their friend to St. Mungo's immediately. She suggested that Draco head there also to get checked out. After conferring with Tonks, she had Neville carry Hermione upstairs to the Floo that the aurors had verified was in working order.

Harry and Ron remained with Draco. They had released him from his restraints and the blond was sitting on the floor against the wall still feeling disoriented from the _unforgivables _that had been cast upon him. Tonks wanted to hear his story, but upon seeing his condition decided that it could wait until the next day. She ordered Harry and Ron to get him to the hospital and put them in charge of making sure that he reported to the Ministry first thing in the morning. She put her hand on her cousin's shoulder before walking away to oversee the removal of Nott's body.

"We should get you to the hospital, Ferret. You're looking a bit peaky," Ron told him. "Then I want to get back to Luna. She stayed with Emmie at the Manor."

"Crap," Draco said suddenly coming out of his daze and trying to stand up. "Daphne…she's part of this." He attempted to gather his scattered wits and stumbled through a telling of the events that occurred in her suite.

"Luna and Emmie!" Ron exclaimed worriedly. "Let's go."

"Tonks," Harry called to his boss. "We need to get back to the Manor. Daphne is part of this and needs to be taken in for questioning. She's the one who sent Draco here without his wand."

"I'm coming with you," Tonks declared signaling another female auror to accompany them.

"Be careful with her, Boss," requested Draco as Harry helped him up the stairs towards fireplace that the others had just used. "She's still carrying my son."


	40. Blood and Family

**Chapter 40 Blood and Family**

_Last Chapter: __"__Tonks," Harry called to his boss. "We need to get back to the Manor. Daphne is part of this and needs to be taken in for questioning. She's the one who sent Draco here without his wand." __"__I'm coming with you," Tonks declared signaling another female auror to accompany them. __"__Be careful with her, Boss," requested Draco as Harry helped him up the stairs towards fireplace that the others had just used. "She's still carrying my son."_

Harry Potter, Nymphadora Tonks and some woman that Daphne didn't know burst into her private quarters.

"What the hell do you want?" she said angrily.

"You're coming with us to the Ministry," Tonks told Draco's wife sharply.

"Why would I do that?"

"We have some questions for you about Hermione and Draco," the Head Auror snapped.

_Are they dead yet?_ Daphne wondered vindictively. Out loud she said, "So? What about them?"

Harry was sick of her bitchy attitude. He snarled at her, "Shut it, Daphne. We have Blaise Zabini in custody. He raped Hermione and tortured Draco!"

"So, what does that have to do with me? I told you everything that I know," the pregnant woman complained_. _She was beginning to be a bit nervous. _Crap! Do they know about Theo? Why the hell hadn't he killed Blaise? He was supposed to make sure of that._ Tonks' next words made her feel much better.

"I have a witch in the hospital and a wizard is dead, so I need answers," Tonks said in a cold authoritative tone. "You're coming with us, Daphne Malfoy. Hand over your wand."

"Fine," Daphne said crossly handing it over. Inwardly though, she was rejoicing over what the pink haired freak had said. _Theo did it! Draco is dead. Now we just have to make sure Blaise keeps his fucking mouth shut._

Once out of the suite, Tonks led the way to the staircase. Daphne was forced to follow with the female auror, Yardley, by her side. Harry walked a few paces behind them. Daphne had a petulant expression on her face and uncharitable thoughts in her head. _Fucking low blood bastards._ She was trying to plan what she would say when they got to the Ministry and how she was going to contact Theo. _He should be at our place by now. He'll__ think of a way to get me out of this. He always knows how to fix everything. _

"Can't we just talk here?" she asked as they began descending. "Since Draco is dead, I should stay. I need to make sure the baby is all right." She said the last in a loud whiny voice, hearing voices below. She didn't see Tonks glance back to exchange a look with Harry, as she was trying to find possible allies. _Lucius might be down there. He won't let them take me with his pureblood heir_.

"What makes you think Draco is dead?" Tonks asked her oddly.

"You said Granger was in the hospital and he was dead," Daphne reminded her frowning.

"I never said that," the auror said stopping and looking back at her for a second. Daphne's brows furrowed in confusion. _What is she talking about? Yes, she did._

They had reached a point about halfway down the stairs where Daphne could see the group of people in the entryway. McGonagall, Snape, and that bitch Loony were at the base of the steps listening to Weasley tell about what they had found in Ashbourne. Lucius was standing a few feet away from them. He looked like he wasn't sure if he should come closer, but was actually listening intently to the redhead's story without a sneer on his face.

"...he had done to Hermione. Draco was hanging from shackles on the wall," Weasley's obnoxious voice was saying to the group. "Zabini had crucio'd the hell out of him." _At least Blaise did something right, _Daphne thought_, though why didn't he kill the mudblood too?  
_

Daphne heard a dismayed cry and saw Lucius glance behind him with a pained look on his face. She followed the direction of his look and made a noise of surprise herself when she saw her husband very much alive. He looked like hell, but he was sitting on a bench against the far wall holding his bastard child on his lap. _What the fuck? __You're supposed to be dead! _Narcissa, the source of the original sound, was next to him patting his arm.

At the sound of Daphne's loud gasp, most of the group on the first floor looked up at the four on the stairs. Draco's eyes found hers. He glared angrily for a second and then deliberately looked away.

Weasley's back was to the stairs and he obviously didn't realize that the other aurors and Daphne were present. He just kept talking. "We took care of Zabini, but that's when we noticed Nott's body on the floor..."

"What?" Daphne cried in shock. _Theo? No, he can't mean it. What is he talking about? _She looked at Tonks and asked frantically, "What happened to Theo?"

"He's dead," Tonks said flatly. "He tried to Avada Hermione and Draco killed him while defending her."

Daphne looked at her in horror. "No," she denied. _Not my Theo! _Her eyes swung to Draco sitting so smugly with his little halfblood bitch. The sight caused her grief to turn to rage. _You fucking prick. It was supposed to be you! _Her eyes took on a crazy vengeful look.

No one expected what Daphne did next. It seemed to happen slow motion, but even Harry could not prevent it though he jumped down the few steps that separated them as quickly as he could.

The pregnant woman grabbed Yardley's wand from her side holster and shoved the surprised auror into Tonks. The witch was caught off balance and the two women started to tumble down the stairs desperately scrabbling for purchase. Then Daphne turned the wand toward her husband and screamed, "You killed Theo, you son of a bitch! It should have been you. _Avada Kedavra_."

Draco looked back up as Daphne started to yell and saw her swing the wand over the banister toward him. His body was still a bit sluggish from the the _unforgivables_ that Blaise had subjected it to, but he reacted as quickly as he could. He shoved Emmie into his mother knocking them both to the floor. He struggled to dodge or roll himself off the bench also, but knew he wasn't going fast enough. Getting Emmie out of the way had cost him the precious time that he needed to save himself. _I'm not going to make it_.

He looked at his daughter one last time believing that he was going to die. Draco heard someone shout his name and felt the impact of a heavy weight smash into him. It brought him to the floor almost on top of Emmie and Narcissa. He eyes closed as he hit the side of his head hard against the bench on the way down and stars swam behind his closed eyelids for a moment. He could hear his daughter screaming close by and his mother crying. He forced his eyes back open.

His father lay on top of him pinning him to the floor. Lucius had thrown himself in the direction of Narcissa and Draco the instant he had seen Daphne aim at them. Whether he had really intended to take the killing curse in their place or had just been trying to move them out of the way would never be known. However, he had succeeded in saving his only child by paying the ultimate price. Lucius' eyes were already empty and staring.

Draco lay stunned trying to figure out what had just happened. His head was pounding and he felt nauseous. He could hear screaming and crying. Severus Snape rushed to his side. The dark haired wizard gently rolled Lucius' body off of him and pulled him to his feet. Draco swayed unsteadily and was grateful for his godfather's support. He was peripherally aware of Luna picking up a crying Emmie and McGonagall helping his sobbing mother.

Harry stood behind Daphne holding her upper arms as Ron helped the two female aurors get to their feet. They had both survived the fall with just some bruises and scrapes. Harry had forced Daphne to the first level and she was trying to struggle out of his grasp. Her grief over Theo's death had caused her to completely lose control.

"Let me go you fucking bastard. It's not supposed to be like this. Draco was supposed to die, not my Theo!" She turned to Draco where Severus was supporting him. "Why won't you just die!" she screamed at him. "Theo," she whispered brokenly and started to cry.

Tonks limped towards the hysterical woman. She pulled the mantle of her office around herself and said to Daphne in an emotionless hard voice, "Daphne Malfoy, you are under arrest for the murder of Lucius Malfoy and the attempted murder of Draco Malfoy. Because of your condition, you will be held at St. Mungo's until you give birth and then you will be transported to Azkaban to await your trial."

Daphne fell silent and stared at her with huge eyes. She had just realized what she had done couldn't be hidden. This time there would be no Theodore Nott to save her with a plan. She looked around and saw that no one in the room had any sympathy for her plight. She looked at Draco and a vindictive light filled her eyes.

"This is your fault, you fucking bastard. You'll never get your hands on this child," she said holding her arms protectively over her belly. "I'll make sure of that."

"Shut up, you murderous bitch! If we have to shackle you to a bed, you won't harm my son," Draco said misreading her threat. He didn't care if Daphne rotted in Hell for everything that she had done, but he would never let her hurt this child.

"I won't have to. Did you think I would ever allow your child to grow inside of me? I got rid of your spawn the one time it took root. This baby isn't yours, you prick. This is Theo's baby and I'll make sure our families raise him. He will never have anything to do with a blood traitor like you."

Draco reeled as if she had struck him. Even knowing now that she wanted him dead, he had never considered that the baby was not his. He had loved this child without even seeing it, in spite of knowing its mother was a heartless bitch. He was devastated by what she was saying. He shook his head to deny her words and felt a sharp pain shoot through his skull at the motion. He didn't have time to respond, because a sudden dizziness overtook him and Draco Malfoy passed out.

~*~*~*~*~*~

When Draco came back to his senses, he was in bed in a quiet white room. He turned his head to see that Neville and Ron were sitting in chairs by the side of the bed. Harry was leaning against the wall.

"Hey Draco," he said softly when he noticed the open gray eyes.

"Hi Guys," Draco greeted them a bit confused. "What happened?"

Harry came over and sat on the edge of the bed. "You had a concussion, but the healer said she'd fixed it. She said we could get you home once you woke up." He hesitated before asking, "How much do you remember about last night?"

Everything rushed back to Draco in that instant. Finding Hermione. Nott and Zabini. What happened at the Manor with Daphne... and Lucius and the baby. He felt a deep sense of loss, but didn't know if it was for his father or for his son. _My father is dead and I have no son._

"I remember it all now, dear Merlin," he said with grief written across his face. They all touched him on the arm or shoulder instinctively giving comfort in the way of covens. Draco asked the most important question on his mind, "Where are Hermione and Emmie?"

Neville answered, "Hermione is in a room down the hall. The girls are with her, but she didn't want us blokes right now. They say she's been asking about you though."

Draco swung his legs out of bed and stood up. He was a little shaky, but Neville steadied him. "Thanks. Help me to her room?"

Hermione was propped up in bed talking to Ginny and Luna quietly. Emmie was asleep next to her, snuggled up against her mother's hip and leg. Hermione had one arm gently hugging the child. At Draco's entrance, the three women exchanged glances and the two younger witches stood up from their chairs. They both excused themselves, giving both Hermione and Draco hugs before leaving the room.

"How are you doing, love?" he asked her.

Hermione's eyes softened at the endearment. "I'm going to be all right, I think. They said I can go home tomorrow." She shrugged a little at a loss, not wanting to talk about how she felt.

He sat in one of the chairs by the bed and reached for her hand. She let him hold it for a moment before she pulled it away. She began to gently stroke Emmie's hair, not looking at him.

"Why did you do it?" she asked so quietly that he had to strain to hear it. "I heard what you told Nott."

Draco knew immediately that she was talking about him trying to trade himself for her. He struggled to find an answer for her that wouldn't completely fuck everything up again. He never did these conversations right and she always ended up upset and hurt. He couldn't think of a clever answer for her. Finally he just said what was in his heart.

"Hermione, I love you more than anything in this world. When I found out you had been taken, I realized that I would do anything to make you safe again. I would give up my life, my magic, everything I am to make sure of that. I know I've never shown you how much you really mean to me, but I'm not sure that I truly knew it myself until there was a chance that I'd lose you forever."

He looked at her hoping that she would believe him and tried to explain it better. "It was different when you were gone the other times. Dumbledore and McGonagall let us know that you were doing fine and were even finding some happiness for yourself. Even if my life was crap without you, in the back of my mind I knew that you were doing all right _somewhere_. There would always be a chance for you to come back. This time though, you weren't going to be all right. I almost went crazy feeling your pain and suffering. I can't imagine a world without you in it. I need you to be okay; even if I can't be with you."

Hermione looked at him and saw that he was being completely serious. "Oh Draco, I wanted you to prove that I mean something to you, but I would never ask you to give your life for mine. It was my fault my parents died. I wouldn't be able to bear it if that had happened to you. "

"I know you'd never ask, but I would do it again. You are _that _important to me! I have never felt so scared as when Ron found your broken wand at Flint's place and I knew you were defenseless in the control of some maniac."

Hermione paled at his words as she suddenly remembered Marcus. She had been so preoccupied with what had happened to her and Draco that she had forgotten the other wizard. _Poor Marcus. He was just an innocent in all of this. _She thought about their dance and him asking her to give him the same chance as Draco. She felt a wave of grief for the man that had been her friend and might have been more had he lived.

"What is it?" Draco asked her seeing the pain in her eyes.

"I was thinking of Marcus," she told him simply.

"He was a good wizard and didn't deserve any part in this," Draco said thinking of the man with honest sorrow. "Damn Nott, Zabini, and Daphne to hell. They didn't give a fuck who stood in their way."

Hermione knew he wasn't just talking about Marcus. Luna had told her what had happened at the Manor, so she said, "I'm sorry about Lucius, Draco." She felt a little guilty that she felt only relief about his demise, but she did feel bad for the man next to her. He was one of the few who would truly grieve for the ex-Deatheater.

Draco knew what she was thinking anyway and didn't blame her. "I know he could be a bigoted arsehole, but he was my father. Our last real words were harsh. He was going to disown me because I finally told him that I was going to convince you to marry me. I basically told him to fuck off and then accused him of being the one to take you. Yet he still tried to save me."

"He didn't understand you, but he loved you," she said compassionately. Then she asked Draco, "Did you really tell him about us?"

Draco nodded, "Our conversation was interrupted when I felt you through the bond. All I could think of was you and all he could say was that at least I had fathered a proper heir on Daphne." His eyes looked completely hopeless when he thought about the baby.

Hermione had never seen him look quite like that so she asked, "What are you thinking about right now?"

"Daphne's baby," he answered. She nodded as Luna had told her about the woman's revelations also. She didn't know what to say to him to take away that expression.

"I know he's not mine, but I've been thinking of him and waiting for him for months. It feels like she took my son away," Draco told her quietly. "I really wanted that little boy, Hermione. It wasn't because he was supposed to be the Malfoy heir. He was going to be the one person that I didn't screw everything up with from the start. I was going to be the best father from day one. I already loved him."

"I know you really wanted him, Draco. I can't fix that, but you'll always have Emmie," she told him as her heart ached for his pain. Hermione shifted uncomfortably before adding, "and you'll have me. If you're willing to wait a bit for me, that is. I need to get what happened out of my head before I can be with you again." She looked down and said the last part as if she was ashamed of what had happened, as if it was her fault.

"Shhh," Draco told her. "It'll be all right. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I don't know. This wasn't like that other time. This was...really bad," she whispered. "I didn't fight. I can't stop seeing _him._ It's going to take a long time for me to ..." She stopped when he interrupted her.

"I'll wait for however long you need me to, Hermione. I love you for you, not just because I want your body. I'll prove it to you."

Hermione smiled at him gratefully and shifted down to lie on her side. She moved further away toward her edge of the bed, drawing their sleeping daughter closer to her chest snuggling her and using her as a barrier at the same time. She hesitantly beckoned him to come lie on the other side of Emmie. He slowly and carefully climbed onto the bed and lay facing the two of them. She seemed a bit skittish, so he was careful not to reach out and startle her.

Looking into her eyes over the sleeping head of their daughter, Draco told her, "We've been down this road twice before and I fucked it up royally both times. I almost messed it up this time too. Just give me a chance to show you that I can be the man that you deserve."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement and he closed his eyes in contentment. When the others came to check on them twenty minutes later, all three were sleeping peacefully on the bed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

It was a week and a half later when Draco carried Emmie down the stairs of Hermione's house. He had been living with them since they were released from the hospital. He had just given his daughter a bath for the first time ever without Hermione's help and was feeling proud of himself. The little girl was dressed in pink fuzzy pajamas with feet. She was clean, sweet smelling and he thought she was the epitome of all good things in life.

He heard Hermione talking into the Floo. She was saying softly, "Thanks, Gin. Let me talk with Draco about it. I'll talk to you soon."

Hermione broke the connection and turned to watch them come down the stairs. She stood there looking at him with a strange, searching expression on her face. He immediately knew that she was wrestling with some deep thoughts. He set Emmie down to play and looked at the small witch next to him silently, knowing that she would tell him what she was thinking in her own good time.

"Draco, do bloodlines really matter to you?" she asked him.

He was puzzled and a little hurt by the question. He thought that he had proved to her that blood no longer mattered to him. He would do absolutely anything for Emmie and her.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked worriedly. "I hope you know that blood doesn't make a difference to me, Hermione. I love you and Emmie and am trying to show you that it doesn't," he told her sincerely.

"I know you love Emmie and me," she answered him with an enigmatic look, "but I wasn't exactly thinking of us."

Draco looked at her puzzled. "What are you talking about then?" he asked.

"Ginny found out when she got to work today that Daphne had her baby two days ago. She's already been transferred to Azkaban."

Draco's face took on an expression of hatred. He didn't want to hear that bitch's name ever again. He didn't give a fuck what happened to her and was still grieving over the loss of his father and the child he had thought of as his son. Once their divorce was final by the end of the week, he would never think of her again.

Hermione saw his expression and continued softly, "They have the little boy at the hospital still and don't know what to do with him. You know there aren't any orphanages in the Wizarding World; they won't put him in a muggle one and risk another Tom Riddle. Apparently nobody in the Greengrass family will take responsibility for him. They are refusing to acknowledge any connection to Daphne. There are no more Notts left to contact. No one in our world wants him." She paused to let that sink in and then continued, "So I'm asking you, Draco, does blood still matter to you?"

Draco became still and looked at the mother of his daughter with stormy gray eyes. "Why do you want to know?" he asked slowly suspecting what she was leading to.

"Daphne is still your wife until the paperwork is final. You can claim this baby as yours, and no one will gainsay you. I know who his parents were, but we could take him and raise him to be different than them…if blood really doesn't matter to you."

Draco took a deep breath and slowly released it. He thought about how much he had wanted this child when he had thought he was the father. He had wanted a chance to do things right from the start, to teach his son to be a better person than he was. He asked himself the question in his mind, _does blood still matter to me? _If he no longer believed that muggle blood made a witch inferior, did that also mean that Nott and Greengrass blood didn't make the child evil?

He wasn't sure of the answer to that question, but he said to Hermione, "Let's go see the baby." He would see how he felt when they got to the hospital.

Once they arrived at St. Mungo's, Ginny led them to the nursery and left them with the matron in charge. The redhead took Emmie to show off at the nurses station, where there was no shortage of attention or treats for the little girl in pink. The matron brought them over to the the baby's bassinet. Newborns typically roomed with their mothers unless they needed special care, so there was only one in the large room. She smilingly explained before she left to give them some privacy that he was a good little baby that hardly cried at all.

Draco just looked at the little blanket wrapped bundle lying in the baby bed for a moment. He had never seen a baby that little before. The infant had a shock of dark brown hair and his eyes were closed so their color couldn't be seen. He was clearly asleep, though his little lips opened and closed in a kissy motion a couple of times while Draco watched. He couldn't connect this innocent little being with the woman who had murdered his father or with the man that he had killed. He felt confused about how he should feel about the little guy.

Hermione had been watching the thoughts flit across Draco's face. She reached into the bassinet and expertly scooped the baby up into her arms. Turning to the blond man, she gently pushed the infant against his chest. His arms automatically came up to cradle the boy and he looked down at the tiny face just as the brown eyes opened. He waited for the negative associations to come, but he did not see Daphne Greengrass or Theodore Nott at all.

Draco smiled and rocked the little one in amazement, now knowing the answer to Hermione's original question. _No. Blood doesn't matter to me anymore. This is my son. _Draco looked up at her to see that she was smiling at him proudly in response to the look on his face. She knew what it meant. He had worn the same expression when he had looked at Emmie on that first night when the little girl wouldn't leave him alone. Draco spoke to her seeing that she had understood perfectly what he would do before he had even known. However, his words managed to surprise her.

"You name him, Hermione. He's your son too from now on."

Hermione looked down at the little boy in Draco's arms and nodded. She couldn't help the tears that formed when she stroked his downy little cheek softly.

"Hello Marcus."

~*~*~*~*~*~

One Year Later...

It was a beautiful if unconventional wedding. The couple being joined in matrimony stood in front of their family and friends in the living room of their new home. The groom held the hand of their two year old daughter as his sole attendant and the bride carried their one year old son instead of a bouquet. When it was time to magically bind their lives together, they handed their children to the some of their family members who who were watching from the front row of chairs that had been set up.

Luminous brown eyes looked into brilliant silver ones as the Minister of Magic said the words that would unite them permanently as husband and wife. They had chosen the most binding of all wizarding marriage ceremonies and the Minister had volunteered to officiate as soon as he had heard of their intentions. It had been a long hard road to get to this moment and the two were not going to settle for anything less than forever. When the last spell had finally set, they turned with clasped hands to be presented to their loved ones.

Kingsley Shacklebolt announced to the gathered witches and wizards, "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my greatest pleasure to present for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Granger-Malfoy."

Everyone stood and clapped for the two. From the surprised looks on some of the guests faces, Draco knew he was going to get some ribbing about their choice of last name. He wasn't too worried though. He cared more about how Hermione felt about it and could take whatever Ron and his brothers dished out. _A rose by any other name and all that crap. Hell, she's even gotten me reading and quoting muggle literature._

They had purposely arranged their reception to be private, casual and child friendly. Their house was already decorated for the holidays and there was plenty of food and drink set up strategically around the different public rooms. Guests were told to eat, drink, and mingle to their hearts content. Draco competently retrieved Marcus from Ginny Potter giving the toddler a biscuit to gnaw on. His son sat on his arm and munched contentedly while gazing at everyone around him with wide brown eyes. His father looked about at the same time and thought about all the changes that had occurred since the night his father had been killed.

His mother was looking as elegant as ever and his godfather was standing solidly at her side. Though they did not publicly engage in displays of affection, Draco knew and approved of their budding romantic relationship. Narcissa had not known what to do after Lucius' death. However, her health and sanity had been saved by an unexpected benefactor. McGonagall had taken her to Hogwarts on the night of Lucius' death since the woman clearly couldn't be left alone in the Manor. As Draco was occupied with caring for Emmie and by Hermione's recovery, Minerva had allowed the grief stricken woman to stay at the school indefinitely.

Narcissa had moved through the hallways like a silent wraith until McGonagall had come across her reprimanding a third year Ravenclaw for being discourteous to a Hufflepuff girl. Struck by inspiration, the Headmistress had immediately hired Narcissa to teach wizarding etiquette and elocution classes thinking to draw the woman out of her isolation. Draco's mother had made a complete turnaround and unexpectedly thrived in the role. She had left the Manor and moved into staff quarters for the duration of the school year. She and Severus had grown closer as the year progressed. Though he was a more mellow Snape, he still had his dark moments which she understood and helped him through.

Draco looked with a slight frown at the Americans that dotted the room. Hermione's relatives and their covens had made the journey to show her their love and support. The older coven had come for a visit at around this time last year and had begun to teach the English group about how a coven's bond could function. This past summer, Draco had rented a huge old house on the seashore in Massachusetts for the contingent from the UK, plus their children and Dahlia. They had spent the months of July and August finishing their education. They had been particularly vexed to find out that there was an easy spell to determine another coven member's exact location. _If only they had known about it when Hermione had been taken._

Draco got along fine with the females and one bloke, Alex, but he would never be fully comfortable with the other American males. They accepted him as a member of Hermione's coven because they knew how the bond worked and because she loved him. However, he was fully cognizant of the fact that they blamed him completely for all the pain that she and Donovan had suffered. _Arsehole. _Draco's blood heated up just thinking about the man. He could see that the American still wanted Hermione and in all honesty, Draco was more than a tiny bit jealous of the older wizard. He was the man that Hermione had once chosen to be her husband and Emmie's father. If it hadn't been for the British group's bond, she would have belonged to Donovan instead of him. _No, they would never be friends._

_Thank Merlin for our coven._ Not just because it had brought Hermione back to him, but because of all of these friends who had become such an important part of his life. He looked at Ron holding his seven month old daughter. _Another carrot top, _he thought with amusement. Neville and Harry were talking with Ethan and Thomas Langstrom. _At least they get along with them, _he thought sourly as his eyes moved on. His mood immediately lightened when his gaze landed on the wives: Luna, Ginny, and a pregnant Dahlia, who had married Neville back in May. They were all clustered around Hermione and Emmie, laughing and smiling. From the way Hermione was holding her hands over Emmie's ears and blushing, he knew that they were probably teasing his witch about the wedding night.

Seeming to feel his gaze, Hermione turned her face in his direction. He saw the love shining from her eyes and raised one eyebrow, letting her know he could see her blush. She turned an even brighter shade of red to the amusement of her girlfriends. She turned to say something to Ginny and the two women walked towards him with Emmie.

His heart beat a little faster as she approached and he knew that she was probably ready to leave with him for their short honeymoon. They were going to spend two nights at a snug little cottage tucked away in the countryside for privacy. They didn't want to be gone from Emmie and Marcus for longer than that even though they unreservedly trusted Harry and Ginny, who were going to take care of the children in their absence. The newlyweds kissed their daughter and son before handing them over to Ginny. Then they quietly slipped outside without alerting the rest of the guests and _apparated_ to the cottage.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Hermione kissed Draco once and said she needed a moment to herself in the bathroom. He watched his wife walk away and thought of how long he had been waiting for this day. _She's mine at last.  
_

Draco lit a fire in the bedroom fireplace and poured them each a glass of wine. He took off his shoes, unbuttoned his shirt, and stretched out on the bed to wait for Hermione. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought about their life together.

_It had been a long year for them but they had made it. Draco had started from scratch with Hermione, courting her the way that all women deserve from the men that love them. He brought her flowers, books, and odds and ends that he knew would interest her. He wined and dined her whenever he could convince the other coven members to babysit. He knew, however, that it wasn't the romance that had convinced her that his love would last. It was his everyday actions. It was his getting up uncomplainingly for two a.m. feedings and diaper changes. It was how he juggled his work schedule so that she could continue to take classes and get her school work done at home. It was the joy he took in spending time as a family doing simple things. It was the pride he showed when he took her and the children out in public, in spite of the odd looks that the four of them sometimes drew._

_There had also been some tough times to get through, but they had faced them together with the help of their coven. Draco had held her hand through Blaise's trial, where his acts against her were put up to public scrutiny. She calmed him after Daphne's hearing, where his ex-wife had continued to spew poisonous words at Draco for "stealing" her child. It was a relief to all when both were sentenced to life in Azkaban. Together they had weathered Hermione's frustration with having her magical strength return so slowly, though at long last she was back at full strength. __They dealt with the everday stress of having two children under the age of two. __They got through the small miscommunications and disagreements that are part of all relationships. Lastly, they were dealing with Hermione's issues surrounding sex._

_Though they had been living together for the past year, no one knew that Hermione and he had not actually made love once during that time. She had not been ready to have intercourse after her experience with Blaise. He felt lucky that Hermione let him hold her without pulling away and even offered him simple affectionate touches. She had an aversion to any others males coming into physical contact with her except for those in the coven. If it hadn't been for the bond telling her that they would never hurt her, she would not have been able to bear even Harry, Ron, or Neville's casual touches. She had been seeing a muggle counselor since the wizarding world did not have any kind of support for rape victims. _

_Draco had not pushed her at all, being completely serious about waiting for her for as long as she had needed. There was no threat of imminent battle or death to necessitate a rush. He knew they would get through this like they had gotten through everything else. He had comforted her and cuddled her when she had let him. They had held hands, kissed, and just more recently played just a little bit. Ultimately though, Draco had slept alone each night in the guest room while they lived at her old house. When they had moved into the new one, she had let him join her in the master bedroom. However, she had still needed some time before letting him into her body. She had promised him that tonight, their wedding night, the wait would be over._

"Draco," came her soft voice.

He opened his eyes and there she was in the doorway to the bathroom dressed in a simple white silk nightgown. Hermione looked shy, unsure and very, very beautiful. She was the mother of his children and she took his breath away.

He stood up and approached her carefully. Pulling her into his arms gently, he whispered, "I love you, Hermione. You look absolutely amazing."

"I love you too, Draco."

He dipped his head to take her mouth in a long slow kiss. He let his hands roam over her shoulders and back feeling the silky cloth as well as her smooth skin. She shivered slightly under his touch.

Draco stilled instantly, pulling back slightly. "Are you all right? Is this all right?"

Hermione smiled joyfully up at him realizing that she wasn't scared of this man at all. He would not hurt her, not this time. He had been her loving partner for the last year and would be so for the rest of their days. This felt exactly the way it should so she answered, "I feel perfect now. Take me to bed, please."

He was already aroused and her simple request almost made him lose control right then and there. He kissed her again before scooping her up into his arms and carrying her over to the bed. He set her gently down on its top and she moved towards the middle drawing him after her.

With soft touches and wondering eyes, the two undressed each other slowly. Using their hands, lips, and tongues they slowly relearned each other's bodies and remembered what gave the other pleasure. Though they hadn't been together in this way for almost three years, they took their time. It was a joy filled reunion and each moment brought them closer to ecstasy. Involuntary gasps and moans were drawn from their throats and they savored the feel of his skin sliding pleasurably against hers.

When they couldn't take the sweet torment any longer, Draco rose above Hermione, poised at her entrance. He looked deep into her eyes satisfied that he saw only love and desire without any fear. He slowly thrust into her whispering, "I love you Hermione. You're mine from this day forth." The feeling of being inside of her again was heaven to him. He had to close his eyes to contain his bliss.

"My love," Hermione answered him kissing his shoulder softly. They gave and took from the other in the act of love until they found their release as one. When they lay wrapped together afterward, they knew that this time it was forever.


	41. Epilogue: Nature vs Nurture

**Epilogue: Nature vs. Nurture**

_Last Chapter: (The wedding night) __When they lay wrapped together afterward, they knew that this time it was forever._

15 Years Later

The young wizard put his hand upon his mother's where it was tucked into the crook of his arm. Ostensibly it was because of the manners that she and his father had instilled in him, but actually he was glad of her presence as they walked through the gates of the Azkaban Wizarding Prison. He had never been to the isle before, but this was something that he had been needing to do for a few years now. His parents had originally wanted him to wait until he reached his majority, but they had received word that the inmate that they were visiting was dying and would not last another year. He had found out that his Mum visited every other month, but as far as he knew his father had never once come to this place. Though it was mid July, the mist shrouded island was chill and damp.

The guards at the gate and within the administrative department spoke to and looked at his Mum respectfully. It was no secret what she had done for the wizarding world in her younger years and she was now well known as a serious author, as well as a top potions mistress. After the appropriate paperwork was filled out, a single guard led them not to a cell, but to an infirmary where inmates who needed to be monitored for their failing health had tiny individual hospital rooms. The chill that he had felt upon entering the prison was not as pervasive here. The ward would not have looked out of place in St. Mungo's if it were not for the guards that were stationed at the entrance.

"Do you want me to come in with you, Sweetheart?" she asked him once they stood outside the appropriate room.

"I don't know," he said uncertainly. Now that he was here, he felt like this might not have been such a good idea after all.

His Mum reached up and smoothed his dark brown hair back out of his eyes. "Why don't I come in with you? I've been here often enough that it may make this meeting easier for both of you."

The young wizard nodded gratefully; Mum always took care of him. Smiling at her son, she opened the door and led the way into the small chamber. The room was sparsely furnished containing only a bed, bedside table, and single chair. His Mum motioned for him to sit in the chair while she went around to the other side of the bed. The woman in the bed was dozing and his Mum gently smoothed the gray hair back from her forehead in a gesture not unlike the one she had used on him in the corridor,

"Daphne," she said gently. "Wake up now. It's Hermione. I've brought someone here to see you."

Hermione's eldest son looked at the woman on the bed and felt a stab of pity run through him. Though he knew that she was the same age as his Mum, this witch looked like she was decades older. Life in Azkaban had not been easy on her. The woman in the bed slowly stirred and opened her eyes groggily. When she saw Hermione, she smiled tiredly.

"Hermione," she whispered, "did you bring another picture of him? He looked so handsome in his quidditch uniform."

"I did even better, Daphne," Hermione answered softly. "Look to your left."

Daphne Greengrass, no longer Malfoy, turned her head and gasped when she saw the young man sitting in the chair. Though she had dozens of pictures, it was different in person. It was like seeing the ghost of her long lost beloved. She couldn't stop herself from reaching one hand towards him and murmuring joyfully, "Theo."

The dark haired boy felt a tightness in his chest, but he gently took the whithered hand in his own and replied quietly, "No ma'am, I'm Marcus. Everyone tells me I look just like my birthfather, though."

Daphne blinked and tears appeared in her faded green eyes. She murmured, "You look just like he did at Hogwarts. You're Marcus. My baby boy. You've grown up so much. How old are you now? I can't remember..." Her voice began to shake a bit. "Where are my books? I need my books," she said in a panic.

"Shhh, Daphne," Hermione said soothing her as she pulled a leather bound portfolio out from from the shelf under the bedside table. "They're right here next to you. Here's the last one."

Daphne eagerly clutched the album to her chest. She lovingly ran her hands over the cover and then slowly opened it to show Marcus the many pictures of him that filled the album. Some were of him by himself, some with his sibling, some with his friends. He saw numerous parchments with his mother's neat script.

_...Marcus did an excellent job during the quidditch match. He managed to stop the Ravenclaws from scoring any goals..._

_...Marcus has been sent a prefect badge with his Hogwarts letter this year. I'm sure you're as proud as I am..._

He glanced at the bedside table and saw four more worn albums there. He swallowed a lump in his throat when he realized that his Mum had been keeping his birthmother up to date on his life.

Daphne looked at him with tears in her eyes and said softly, "Hermione has told me what a good boy you are. Will you tell me about yourself?"

He looked at his Mum and she nodded encouragingly at him. He could see that she too had tears in her eyes. He pointed at one of the pictures of him and his siblings and began to speak.

"Well, I just finished sixth year and as you can see from the pictures that I'm a Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat said told me that even though my ancestors had all been Slytherins, my personality was definitely that of a Gryffindor," he told her proudly. "I don't think anyone expected that. Mum said that blood doesn't make a person who he is." He smiled fondly at Hermione, remembering how those words had been used often in their household.

He continued speaking, "Da was grumpy for a while, saying that we already had one Gryffindor kid and needed another Slytherin like him in the family. He meant my older sister Emmie; that's her. She was Head Girl this year and the seeker on our team. Da was even madder when my next sister, Helena, was put in Ravenclaw. She's fourteen and boy crazy right now. She's really smart, but can be a real know-it-all someti..." He stopped when he saw his Mum frowning at him.

Marcus hastily continued to point at the others in the picture, "Da shouldn't have worried though. That's Lavender and Luc, the twins. They just finished their first year and were put into Slytherin. The Hat didn't even have to be on either for more than two seconds before that was decided. Da calls them "double trouble", but they don't really hurt anyone. They're good kids, if a little pesky. I just know to keep my room at home locked when I'm not in it. This little guy is Sev, Severus really. He's only eight and we have no idea where he's going to be put when he gets to Hogwarts. He's a quirky kid."

Daphne smiled at Hermione and then at Marcus squeezing his hand gently. "I'm glad you have a wonderful family," she said. "Tell me more about _you_."

"Well," the the teenager added, "I don't get the as good grades as Emmie or Helena, but I do all right. I got two A's, two O's and even an E on my O.W.L.'s when I was in fifth year. Mum and Da were really proud of me. He got me a new broom as a reward. I hope I'm made quidditch captain next year, but it's not certain yet. I have a bit of competition. It's kind of weird because there's a girl that's been on the team just as long as me and," he looked a little embarrassed here, "we're kind of going out. Her name is Callista Weasley. She's in my year too."

Marcus paused as he thought about what else to say and remembered their family travels. "We went to America to visit our cousins for two weeks when school ended. It's always fun, but this time Helena kept making sheep's eyes at Brendan Michaels. He's not really related to us but he and his parents, Uncle Donovan and Aunt Susan, are always around when we visit so they may as well be. For some reason, Da was really annoyed about it, even though he's always let Emmie and me date whomever we want. Oh well. Anyway, we go there every summer and they come here during the holidays too. Now that we're home, we get together with the Weasleys, Potters and Longbottoms a lot. Emmie, Helena, Callista, and Edward Longbottom usually hang out with me. The rest of the kids are the twins' age or younger, so they do their own thing."

Daphne smiled encouragingly but was still looking at him expectantly, so the teenager added, "I like Tranfiguration best. Grandma Minerva, we don't have to call her Headmistress when we're not at school, says I'm really good at it too. Grandpa Severus said I should go into Potions like Emmie and Mum, but Grandma Narcissa says I should do whatever makes me happy. I think I want to be an auror like Da when I'm done at school. His job is so much cooler than just making potions."

He suddenly realized that he was insulting his Mum's work. He quickly looked at her, but she was just smiling at him ruefully. He lost his train of thought and tried to think of something else to say, but couldn't seem to find anything. He just looked at the two women and shrugged.

Daphne became serious all of a sudden and hesitantly asked him, "Marcus, have you been happy? I never meant to leave you. I just wanted to be with your father and it all went so wrong."

He was silent for a moment before answering truthfully, "Mum and Da told me your story when I was fourteen. I'm sorry that you're here and that my birth...I mean that Theo died, but they said that it doesn't have anything to do with _me_. I have a really great family and I like my life. Mum and Da never treated me any different from the other kids. I didn't even know I was adopted until I was nine.

"Daphne and I agreed that it would be best," Hermione told him wiping away a few stray tears. "This isn't actually the first time you've been here, Marcus. I brought you here when you were almost two. Your father was furious with me and didn't talk to me for almost a week. I just knew as a mother that it would have killed me to not be able to see any of you ever."

Hermione took a different album from the shelf. She opened it to one of the first few pages and there he was: a chubby toddler being held by a tearful younger version of the woman in the bed.

Daphne had a far away look in her eyes when she said, "I was so angry and full of hate before then. I thought everyone had wronged me. It was eating me up inside. When Hermione brought you in to see me, I realized what I had lost by my own selfishness. I told her not to bring you back or tell you about me until you were old enough. Azkaban is no place for a child to be. I wanted you to have a happy childhood, not tainted by this." She had to rest a little before continuing. "I thank Merlin every day that she and Draco took you in. If anyone in my family or Theo's had gotten a hold of you, you would probably have turned out to be as twisted as we were."

She and his Mum exchanged understanding glances. Hermione had forgiven Daphne years ago. There was no point to the hatred. The woman in the bed had been paying for her transgressions every day for the past sixteen years. She had lost not just her freedom, but also the man she loved and her only child. Hermione could not think of a worse fate.

"Now, Daphne, none of that," Hermione gently admonished her. "You know Draco and I love Marcus. We should thank you for bringing him into this world. Our family wouldn't be complete without him." She looked with love upon the young wizard.

"I'm sorry, Marcus, for not being there for you. I loved you and wanted you so much," Daphne said. "I'll always love you, my son."

The young man looked helplessly at Hermione asking her what to say. She looked at him with her wise eyes and mouthed, "It's okay to say it back if you want."

"It's all right, Mother. I love you, too," he said very quietly.

Daphne eyes filled with a flash of joy that turned into an expression of contentment when she heard his words. She looked at him memorizing his face before she spoke her final words to him.

"Thank you, Marcus, I've always wanted to hear you say that," she told him. "Live a full, joyful life. I'm glad to have seen what a fine wizard you've become. But don't come back here again; this is no place for a good person like you. I won't be here much longer, but don't grieve for me. I'll be with my Theo finally. Go now and let me talk to your Mum."

Marcus had tears in his eyes as he leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye, Mother. I'm glad to have met you," he whispered hoarsely before stepping out through the door.

Daphne looked at Hermione who had tears spilling down her cheeks. "Thank you for raising him so well. Theo and I will be in your debt forever."

Hermione squeezed Daphne's hand and said softly, "Goodbye Daphne. I hope you find him and can be together at last."

When Hermione left the room she found her oldest son in the hallway facing the wall with his head bowed and shoulders shaking. She went up to him and put her hand on his back. He turned to her and hugged her tightly. She rocked him a little just as she had when he was an infant. They didn't say anything until they had left the prison to walk to the only apparition site on the island.

"Mum?" he asked her a bit anxiously. "Were you mad that I called her Mother?"

"No, Sweetheart," she answered him gently. "I understand and she did give birth to you."

"I know, Mum," Marcus explained, "but you'll always be my _real _mother. She was just so sad. I thought that it would make her happy."

"It did, luv," Hermione told him. "You did a good thing and anyway you know what I've told you children a million times: There's-"

"...always room to love someone if you open your heart," her son finished for her grinning.

"Know-it-all," she teased him. "Come on. Let's get going. Everyone is waiting at the house for us. "

Hermione took her son's arm and _side-apparated_ with him to the edge of their property. When they arrived, he saw his siblings playing a game of quidditch above the field beside the house. He looked at them indecisively and then turned back to her. It always made him feel better to be with them when he was upset, and the physical activity would help him get his mind off of the sad woman in that bed. However, he didn't leave his Mum's side because he could tell she still wanted to talk to him.

Hermione looked at her son knowing exactly what he was thinking. Ironically, she had always understood him best out of all of her children. He wasn't as complicated as the others and hardly ever pulled any tricks like some of them did. He always tried to do the right thing. In a strange twist of fate, Marcus was more like the man he was named after than the one that he resembled or the one that had raised him.

Hermione reached up and hugged him once more. "Go on, Marcus. You know you want to be with them. You can talk with your Da and me later tonight."

_She always knows what to say. _He looked at Hermione knowing that he was the luckiest kid in the world to have her as his Mum, so he told her simply, "Thanks Mum."

He had gone to see Daphne Greengrass because he had wanted to know where he came from. He wasn't confused about who he was now. His parents had made sure of that. _I'm Marcus Flint Granger-Malfoy, eldest son of Draco and Hermione Granger-Malfoy. _Nothing could ever change that.

The sixteen year old kissed his Mum on the cheek then turned and took off full speed towards his brothers and sisters. The bright sunlight and the rushing wind washed away the shadows that were left over from his visit to the prison isle.

Five pairs of silvery-grey eyes looked at him happily when he reached them and his sister, Emmie, smiled brilliantly calling, "I brought your broom out, Marc. It's under the big tree." He grabbed it quickly and took his place among them where he belonged.

Hermione walked on alone towards the house. Before she reached the front door, it opened and the man who had been waiting anxiously for her return appeared in the doorway. She looked at the tall blond man that she had loved for more than half of her life. His eyes held the adoring look that he reserved just for her and he opened his arms in welcome.

"How is Marc? Is everything all right?" he asked, his silver eyes skimming over all of his children and landing on his first born son.

"He'll be all right," the brown eyed witch told her husband. "Everything is just the way it's supposed to be."

As Hermione stepped into Draco's embrace, they both knew it was true.

_Fin_

~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

It's finally finished! Thanks for sticking with the whole story and leaving so many reviews. The encouragement and suggestions have been fabulous.

Take care,

_Secret Nom de Plume_


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